BURNDEN Road Runners hosted their annual five-mile trail race on Sunday with a record turnout of 342 runners – double the entry when it was first held in 2011.

With ongoing building works around the Smithills Coaching House the course this year was run in reverse to ensure a thinning out of the field around some narrower parts of the trails.

Despite running slightly longer at around 5.25 miles this worked well with a great response from competitors who took part but bringing no consolation for the long slog up Smithills Dean Road to Dean Gate Farm Cottage before turning back onto the trails around Smithills.

With more than two thirds of the field coming from local and regional clubs the competition was strong and Tom Carson of Horwich RMI won for the third time in 28mins 56secs.

Karl Darcy of Bolton United Harriers took silver in 29:55 and Gareth Booth, also of Horwich, was third in 30:26.

In the ladies' race, Leigh Harriers' Dionne Allen took the honours in a superb 32:10 to finish 12th overall.

Nicola Cartridge of Bolton took second in 36:53 and Katrina Oddy of Halifax Harriers completed the podium line-up in 37:44.

Burnden Road Runners had by far the biggest contingent of runners with 55 grey vests representing the club which could easily have been many more but for marshalling duties.

Phil Eccleston was first home for Burnden in 31:22 with other notable performances from Andy Staveley (first V50) in 33:32, a V55 one-two for Steve Nolan and Keith Thomas in 33:58 and 35:15, respectively, and Mel Walker heading up the V70 category in 41:01, followed by Burnden's other V70 ace Malcolm Whitehead in 52:57.

The men's team only managed third place with tough competition from a strong turnout from both Horwich Harriers and Bolton Harriers.

The Burnden ladies also turned in a first-class performance with category wins for Kirsty Normanton (L40) in 38:37 and Gwen Kinloch (L55) in 39:00, and the ladies' team took the honours in both the open and veterans categories with a comfortable lead over second-placed Leigh Harriers.

A bake sale at the event raised around £165 which will be donated to the Bolton Jigsaw Stroke Group, the charity nominated by the club for this year.

Burnden results: Phil Eccleston 31:22, Andy Staveley (first V50) 33:32, Robert Short 33:44, Colin Rigby (second V45) 33:56, Steve Nolan (first V55) 33:58, Lee White 35:11, Keith Thomas (second V55) 35:15, Paul Duke 36:22, Ed Ashton 36:33, John McMyler 37:15, George Butler 37:42, Adrian Merritt 37:55, Steven Yates 38:21, Laurence Keighley 38:26, Kirsty Normanton (first L40) 38:37, Tony Wall 38:38, Gwen Kinloch (first L55) 39:00, Andy Duffy 39:04, Paula Pilling 39:47, Lesley Fisher (second L55) 40:15, Matt Barker 40:22, Lyndsay Darbyshire (second L45) 40:23, Craig Philpot 40:36, Simon Marland 40:41, Mel Walker (first V70) 41:01, Shirley Staveley (second L50) 41:15, Don Nichol 41:37, Katy Thompson 41:59, Neil Critchley 42:24, Lorraine Halwood 43:28, Elaine Roper 44:17, Paul Johnson 44:29, Kelly Sullavan 45:12, David Preece 45:34, Reb Teyve 45:38, Nick Haworth 46:14, Beverley Walker 46:19, Phil Lamb 46:44, Jeff Pendlebury 48:01, Julie Newton 50:44, Lucille Corrigan 50:44, Howard Sparke 51:16, Carolyn Barker 52:05, Louise Wall 52:39, Malcolm Whiehead (second V70) 52:57, John Egan 56:22, Nicola Hardy 57:48, Sue Blackman 59:41, Jessica Sammon 1:02:35, Christine Pendlebury 1:02:52, David Beevers 1:04:40, Rebecca Martin 1:07:06. Tail runners: Brenda Sedgwick (second L65) 1:23:45, and Paul Sedgwick 1:23:45.

Phil claimed victory at the Stanley Park 10k in Blackpool in a time of 34:52, a full minute clear of second place.

A group from the new starters section at the club was also represented in what was, for many, their first race at the distance.

Results: Rita Ledwards 1:04:55, Lauren Swallow 1:13:18, Melissa Eccleston 1:13:49, Mandy Ogden 1:14:32, Gillian McGowan 1:20:13, Anne Larkin 1:20:13.

In the final race of the South East Lancs Cross Country Series, a testing and muddy course greeted a small group at Boggart Hole Clough.

There was success for the ladies' team, taking first place in all categories from L35 through to L45 with the teams made up of Shirley Staveley 35:50, Katy Thompson 36:00, Lesley Fisher (first L55) 36:17, Holly Craggs 37:14, Maria Parkinson 46:45 and Susan Williams 48:37.

A small group of men placed third in the V55 team category with Keith Thomas (first V55) 40:32, Paul Christie 49:31 and Don Nichol 49:52.

With the series now having reached its conclusion it has been confirmed that the ladies have taken first vets team for all categories from L35 through to L50 for the season with Gwen Kinloch claiming first L55 and Keith Thomas first M55 for the men.

Andy Staveley took first place at the final Endurance Store Bat League on the Cheeky Monkey course with 113 metres of climb in a time of 29:07, some 30 seconds faster than his last attempt at the course in December.

Other results: Dave Swift 34:05, Laurence Keighley 36:42 and Shirley Staveley 37:15.