Long-serving Bradford director Jack Bates today paid tribute to Berwyn Jones - a player so fast "he could run away from a bird".

The Welsh winger, who died last week aged 66, enjoyed a fine career in athletics before joining Wakefield Trinity in 1964.

Speedster Jones was dubbed one of the quickest players ever to have stepped onto a rugby pitch and it was no surprise.

He was a member of the world record 4x110 yards relay team, the British 100 yards champion and clocked a then British record for the 100 metres at 10.3 seconds.

After stunning the athletics world to turn to league with Wakefield - Jones had been tipped to feature at the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games - he quickly made an impression.

Having scored five tries in his first ten games there he soon won a call-up for the Great Britain squad, crossing for a touchdown on his debut against France in Perpignan, and was selected for the 1966 Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand.

Bradford Northern then paid £3,000 to bring him to Odsal the following year and he raced in for 26 tries in his first campaign, immediately endearing himself to the Northern fans with his exciting style.

Bates recalls: "I remember Jones did really well for Bradford.

"He came from Wakefield and was excellent for the club.

"He played a bit of rugby union before and so wasn't completely raw.

"He didn't look like a fella who'd never played and was very, very quick - Jones could run away from a bird.

"Everybody thought he was just a runner but he could play a bit too.

"We had him outside Neil Fox and he scored quite a few tries on that wing.

"It's sad to hear he has died so young."

Jones, who moved on briefly to St Helens in 1969 before retiring early, passed away in Ross-on-Wye last Friday after suffering from motor neurone disease.