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Club plaque in memory of record-breaker
By Kelly Livesey
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A world record breaker who raised thousands of pounds for charities through his feats of strength and endurance has had a plaque put up in his honour.
Tommy Gildert, who died of cancer last July, aged 62, broke more than 50 world records, including completing one million press ups, while at the same time raising money for Burnley Boys' Club and other charities.
Tommy, who lived in Briercliffe and was manager at the gym at Colne Sports Centre, had a love of fitness that led him to begin breaking records in 1977 when he completed 1,314 press ups in just 30 minutes at Turf Moor.
He went on to get his name listed in the Guinness Book of Records nine times.
In 1979 he did 269 one-arm press ups in 10 minutes and later the same day did 10,000 press ups in just four hours.
In 1985 he became the first man in the world to complete a 24-hour stint of press ups when he managed 24,000.
Three years ago he reached the total of one million press-ups in front of a home crowd at Turf Moor after more than 20 years of doing 100 press ups every day.
He raised more than £150,000 for charities, including the boys' club, which led to a plaque being put up at their centre at Barden Playing Fields "Tommy was instrumental in providing a lot of the funding necessary for us to survive," club leader Glynn Skelton.

"He used his record attempts as a way of raising money for us. At one time he was breaking records every other week.
"He was always a good friend to the club and when he passed away we decided to commission a plaque in his memory.
"He was an inspirational figure."
Jack Bottomley, who was the boys' club leader during Tommy's heyday gave a speech at the unveiling of the plaque.
Tommy's partner Brenda Sorbie said he would have been proud of the plaque.
She said: "He was very friendly and everybody admired him He seemed like such a well-liked man in Burnley.
"When he worked at the leisure centre he would get the place buzzing and encourage people to keep fit.
"The family thinks the plaque is a real tribute to him."
12:32pm Tuesday 19th June 2007