ED Ashton led a posse of 23 Burnden runners home at the Bolton Hill Marathon.

The impressive turnout meant the club provided more than a 10th of the field.

Ashton completed the tough West Pennine Moors course on a sunny but very windy day in 4hrs 2mins 3secs to finish 41st.

The club’s first female runner home was Katy Thompson who crossed the line in 4:19:29 putting her third in the FV45 category.

The gruelling race proved a stern test but there were several other Burnden success stories. Tony Foster on his way back from injury put in a superb run to come first in the V65+ category with a time of 6:05:54.

Anne Ferguson was first FV55 in 4:26:22 and Brenda Sedgwick first FV65+ in 6:34:56.

Other results: 57th John Turner (4:10:12), 72 Martin Whalley (4:24:26), 88 Ian Pudge (4:33:23), 93 Matt Barker (4:37:33), 110 Lorraine Halwood (4:49:28), 112 Carolyn Barker (4:49:50), 119 Lyndsay Darbyshire (4:55:43), 138 Craig Philpot (5:10:52), 143 Mark Butler (5:14:25), 147 John Hall (5:19:26), 165 Neil Critchley (5:37:44), 174 Allison Grace (6:05:54), 175 Beverley Walker (6:05:54), 177 Fiona Ashton (6:05:54), 180 Julie Bower (6:13:56), 184 Peter Whiteside (6:46:37), 186 David Beevers (7:03:05), 190 Paul Sedgwick (7:21:23).

Mel Walker continued his impressive string of recent results with the V70 prize at a blustery Super Bowl 10k in Morecambe, coming home in 45:03.

There was more success for the club at the Astley Park 4.4-mile Trail Race at Chorley. Steve Nolan showed signs of a return to top form with a ninth-place finish in 26:47 to take the V55 prize.

Andy Staveley was the next Burnden runner home in 27:43 but was just pipped to the V50 prize after a ding-dong battle with Wigan’s Karl Tuzio. Paul Christie was third V60 in 31:16.

Shirley Staveley was first in the FV50 category in 32:18 and along with Anne Ferguson’s second-placed FV55 time of 33:40 and Clair Marland’s 40:11 saw Burnden finish second in the ladies' team prize.

Four club members travelled to Threshfield near Skipton in the Yorkshire Dales for the Wharfedale Trail Half Marathon, a race with over 2,000ft of ascent taking in some breathtaking scenery. Martyn Pollitt was first of the quartet home in 1:53:46 (6th MV50) with Isaline Pollitt (fourth FV45) next in 2:04:53. They were followed by Jane Forrest (2:21:18) and Colm O’Brien (2:21:19).

Rob Short finished 14th in a strong field at the third race of the Littleborough 5k Road Series in 18:39.