Rugby league legend Kevin Sinfield made Freeman of the Borough of Oldham

Oldham rugby legend and charity fundraiser Kevin Sinfield who ran seven ultra-marathons in a week has been granted the borough’s highest honour.

On Monday night the former Leeds Rhinos star officially received the title of Honorary Freeman of the Borough, the most prestigious award a council can bestow, during a ceremony in front of local councillors, relatives and friends.

Chief executive Harry Catherall said it was a ‘token of the high esteem’ in which the 42-year-old is held by the ‘townspeople of the metropolitan borough of Oldham and in recognition of his eminent services and inspiring achievements’.

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The sporting star is one of just 27 people to receive the honour and joins the ranks of former Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, suffragist Marjory Lees and Olympic gold medallists Nicola White and Matt Walls.

Widely regarded as one of rugby league’s greatest-ever kickers, the former stand-off had a successful playing career over two decades which began at Waterhead ARLC in Oldham before going on to flourish at Leeds Rhinos, and he is now the defensive coach of England’s national Rugby Union side.

Kevin is a seven-time Super League champion, two-time Challenge Cup and triple World Club Challenge winner, and played on the international stage with both England and Great Britain.

Outside of rugby he has become widely known for his incredible sporting challenges to raise money for his former teammate Rob Burrow, who was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in December 2019.

These have included completing seven marathons in seven days and seven ultra-marathons within a week, which have raised millions of pounds for