POLITICAL leaders have called on Olympic cycling champion Matt Walls to be given special recognition in his hometown after a superb performance in Tokyo.

Oldham MPs Jim McMahon, Debbie Abrahams and Angela Rayner have sent a joint letter to council leader Cllr Arooj Shah asking Walls to be given the freedom of the borough.

The 23-year-old from Shaw struck gold in the omnium on Thursday before claiming silver alongside teammate Ethan Hayter in the madison on Saturday.

Speaking after winning his second medal, the former St Joseph's Primary School and Crompton House Secondary School student said: “It’s been an incredible week.

"It’s a shame we couldn’t get a gold today but we’re still happy coming away with the silver.

It’s still a good achievement.”

Back home, his success has been celebrated with pride.

And the three borough MPs want his success to be rewarded.

In a letter to Cllr Shah on Saturday, the politicians wrote: "Dear Arooj, the nation is watching the Olympic Games as British athletes bring victory home and in Oldham we are rightly proud of Matthew Walls, the Shaw cyclist who won a gold medal this week.

"Oldham has a long and recent history in raising Olympians, from Henry Taylor in 1908, Dorothy Emerson in 1960 and most recently Nicola White MBE, who won a gold medal at the 2016 Games.

"The borough rightly recognised this outstanding achievement and awarded Nicola with the freedom of the borough, the highest honour the borough can give."

Being awarded the freedom of the borough allows those awarded the title the right to march through Oldham on ceremonial occasions with swords drawn, bayonets fixed, drums beating, bands playing and colours flying.

The letter added: "Thankfully the privilege of drawing swords has not been taken up by freemen that we know of but the pride associated with Oldham being represented on the international stage is something we should all bang the drum about.

"We are asking that the council recognise the achievement on Matthews's return and that is awarded the freedom of the borough of Oldham in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the 2021 Olympic Games."