Peter Kennaugh Olympic win marked with gold postbox

Peter Kennaugh was part of the world record breaking cycling pursuit team

Manx Olympic gold medal winner Peter Kennaugh's achievement at the London Olympics has been recognised with a golden postbox in his home town.

The 23-year-old cyclist was part of the the men's cycling pursuit team which won in a world record time at the London Velodrome on Friday.

Isle of Man Post said it had marked the cyclist's "outstanding achievement."

The postbox outside the cyclist's hometown post office in Onchan will remain gold for several weeks.

Kennaugh's win came 100 years on from the island's last Olympic gold medal, when Sulby-born Sidney Swann was part of the victorious British eights rowing team at the 1912 games.

'Very proud'

Isle of Man Post Office's chief executive, Mike Kelly said: "He certainly did the Isle of Man proud.

"Royal Mail are painting a post box gold in the hometown of every gold medal winner and we don't want Peter to be left out, and therefore have chosen Onchan post box - the village where his family live - in which to do this.

"I'm sure many fellow islanders would agree when I say we are very proud of both Peter and fellow cycling star Mark Cavendish's efforts in the London 2012 Olympic Games - they've done a fantastic job."

Before the games, Kennaugh said the Olympics would not mean anything unless he "wins a gold medal".

He also featured on specially-issued stamps from the Royal Mail alongside his team mates Ed Clancy, Geraint Thomas and Steven Burke who beat Australia in the Olympic final, setting a world record time of three minutes 51.659 seconds.

He began his racing career at the age of six, taking part in BMX events in the Isle of Man.