AS we say in newspapers, this story has legs. A fortnight ago, I reported the many responses to my original appeal for information about city athletics club York Harriers. That piece included the memories of Fred Mitchell and Herbert Baker, 93 and 92 years old respectively.

Astonishingly, I have since been contacted by a 95-year-old ex-Harrier. This running business must be good for you.

Reginald Butler, who lives in York, still has his Harriers vest, with its distinctive amber and black hoops.

Sometimes, his running became more than just a hobby - it fed his family.

"I fell out of work when everybody did in the 1920s. I had two children and wondered how I was going to get the next meal."

He went to a local cross country meeting. "You got 15 bob for each race you won. I won all of them, except for the mile. We ate well that weekend."

Mr Butler says the club had a wonderful spirit, and he would run in all weathers. "In fact, I always ran better when it was raining."

Ronald Hawkins, from Tadcaster, called in with original membership cards for the York Harriers, dating from between 1922 and 1924. That was when his father, who died 17 years ago aged 86, was a member. Norman Cecil Hawkins was also a keen cyclist and a member of the Clifton Cycling Club.

These small, colourful cards place the headquarters at South Bank Adult School, Balmoral Terrace. Its supporters read like a who's who of the city: the president was Frank Terry, and the patrons included Arnold Rowntree and Henry Rhodes Brown.

Mr Hawkins also brought in a programme for a six-mile hurdle race held at the York City Football Ground on Boxing Day, 1923, for the Faber Challenge Cup. First prize was £2.

"The race will be started at 10.45 prompt WET or FINE," it instructs.

Another of the major Harrier trophies was the Wilson Cup. Maureen Pierce, of Stillington, believes it was endowed by her grandfather Robert Wilson, for many years a buyer for the drapery department at the Co-operative in Rougier Street. After his death in 1955, the family found many of his racing trophies won in York Harrier colours.

My thanks are also due to York historian Mike Race who noticed I had omitted the name of a legendary Harrier: Walter Harold Porter, his uncle.

Harold was a silver medalist in the 3,000 metre team race in the 1924 Paris Olympics, although this achievement only merited a story tucked inside the Evening Press of the time.

Finally, Tim Heley wrote in from Wakefield with his memories of the Harriers stars of the 1920s and 1930s. Wally Beavers "certainly ranked with the best and one or two of his tilts with the famous Hallamshire Harrier, Ernie Harper (winning runs more often than not), will always be favourite sporting memories".

Updated: 11:32 Monday, September 15, 2003