HORWICH'S under-11s girls squad were top team in their category at the Red Rose League cross-country meeting at Astley Park in Chorley.

Emma Bradley and Imogen Andreassen were joined by Charlotte Wilkinson who, despite a painful bump in the very busy start, held on resolutely for ninth place for the team victory.

The only individual win of the weekend was also at Astley Park where Lucy Dixon won the under-13 girl's race.

The u13 girl's team of Dixon, Whittle and Jackson took third place, as did the u15 boy's team of Seddon, Massey and Mair.

Horwich also sent senior cross-country teams to Astley Park and the Manchester Area League at Boggart Hole Clough.

James Kevan secured a good second place in the Manchester League men’s fixture, while Horwich's men and women had fine team results.

The senior women’s team of Lindsey Brindle, Janet Rashleigh, Erica Booth and Rowen Ratcliffe took fifth place by one point from Sale Harriers in a competition of 68 teams from 29 clubs, while Janet Rashleigh picked up the L55 first prize.

The result puts the women in a strong position for promotion from Division Three as they aspire to achieve back-to-back promotions to the top flight.

The senior men consolidated their position in the top division with a fine fourth place from 62 teams of 31 clubs.

Kevan was ably backed up by Nick Leigh, Phil Marsden, Simon Pymm, Ali Murray and Andy Lloyd.

Leigh also led the vets’ team to seventh place, joined by Murray, Lloyd and Gary Chadderton.

The ladies' vets did even better with Brindle, Rashleigh and Booth taking third place.

At Chorley, the vets shone with age-category wins for Neil Holding (V55), Graham Schofield (V60) and Tony Hesketh (V65).

The vets’ team has been strengthened by the return to the fold of Steve Williams, who took second place in the V60 category.

Holding, Schofield and Williams were led by David Milliken to finish sixth of 19 teams in the vets team competition and they have aspirations of a top-three finish.

On very different terrain, Colin Wood and Julie Williamson completed the Hell of a Hill marathon of marathons which for five consecutive days involves five laps of Rivington Pike, including five ascents to the tower each day.

Wood has now completed this feat for five successive years and has a worthy place in the event’s hall of fame.

Williamson also deserves that honour, having now completed two of these five-day events, the last in 2013.

This year she smiled through the pain of a sore Achilles on the last day and despite this was within a minute of beating her previous aggregate time of 33hrs 39mins.

At Haigh Woodland parkrun, Lukas Siska was second by only one second, while Suzanne Budgett was first woman home at Witton.

Richard Howarth secured his usual first place at Cuerden Valley.

Horwich RMI Harriers results: Manchester Area cross country – Women: 9th Lindsey Brindle (32:36), 25th Janet Rashleigh (35:06), 45th Erica Booth (36:52), 48th Rowen Ratcliffe (37:01), 78th Kathryn Berry (38:45); Men: 2nd James Kevan (32:17), 9th Nick Leigh (33:39), 18th Phil Marsden (34:07), 24th Simon Pymm (35:10), 65th Ali Murray (37:29), 72nd Andy Lloyd (37:45), 105th Michael Chadderton (38:48), 106th Andy Ford (38:49), 140th Mike Hallas (40:20), 315th Doug Fleming (45:56), 374th David Barnes (49:27), 437th Lawrence Pinnell (53:22), 474th Gordon Stone (55:54), 479th Ian Hepburn (56:33).

Red Rose cross country – Women: 60th Oriel Hardman (24:26), 108th Emma Collings (28:56), 134th Katie Lever (32:49); Men: 41st David Milliken (42:35), 56th Neil Holding (43:57), 74th Graham Schofield (45:32), 79th James Jordan (45:50), 99th Ian Collings (47:25), 100th Steve Williams (47:26), 176th Tony Hesketh (52:29).

Windmill 10K road race (Lytham) – 265th David Crawford (49:43), 318th Andrew Storey (51:10), 743rd Geoff Leech (pacer) (59:50), 803rd Lynn Smith (1:01:34), 805th Lesley Davidson (1:01:35).

RunTatton 10K road race – 756th Kristina Mountain 1:03:13.