HORWICH are guaranteed a place on the podium at the culmination of the Mid Lancs League cross country following a good team performance from the men in the penultimate race of the season in Blackpool.

But the top prize is now beyond them after Barrow opened up an unassailable lead in the league's top division.

Alastair Murray was the club's top finisher in 16th place followed by Gareth Booth, Andy Lloyd, Ryan Stevenson, Paul Massey and Garry Chadderton as team counters.

With four of those six now in the veteran category, the club did have the satisfaction of beating Barrow and every other club to head the top division of the veterans league.

Last year the vets won bronze, but they are now in pole position to take gold in the final race of the season in Lancaster on March 7, with Border Harriers and Barrow the only clubs that can beat Horwich to the title.

Suzanne Budgett and Erica Booth both had good runs in the ladies' race, which combined with the men's under-17s race. The outright winner was Horwich's Nathan Townsend, who is getting back to form after injury problems.

The younger juniors continued their excellent recent results with Lewis Wilkes finishing third in the u13s boys' race and Freya Whittle and Matthew Flatters coming fourth in the u11s girls' and boys' races, respectively.

Men's results: Alastair Murray 35:49, Gareth Booth (V40) 36:33, Andy Lloyd (V40) 36:47, Paul Massey (V40) 37:47, Garry Chadderton (V50) 42:04, Doug Fleming (V50) 43:42, David Barnes (V55) 47:53, Pete Bland (V60) 51:37.

Women's results: Suzanne Budgett (F45) 25:05, Erica Booth (F35) 27:49.

U11s girls : Freya Whittle 8:31, Lydia Johnson 9:10, Olivia Baker 9:46, Skye Nicholson 12:27.

U11s boys : Matthew Flatters 7:36, Joshua Houghton 10:16.

U13s boys : Lewis Wilkes 11:11, Tom Massey 11:47, Kieran Kinealy 12:33.

U15s boys : Robert Gibson 16:26.

U17s men : Nathan Townsend 21:29.

Horwich scored a double victory in the Central Lancashire 5K race at Leverhulme Park, with Tom Carson winning the senior men's race after leading from start to finish and David Jackson taking the V45 prize.

CL5K results: Tom Carson 16:00, Dave Jackson (V45) 18:43, Sean McMyler (V50) 20:05, David Unsworth 20:28, Rudolph Maciejkowicz (V60) 20:30, David Lee 23:14, Steve Thomasson 23:16, John Parker (V70) 23:46.

Six of the club's longer distance fell-running specialists ran in the Anglezarke Amble LDWA Challenge on Saturday.

Much of the 24-mile event was run in mist, taking in Rivington Pike, Winter Hill, Darwen Tower via the Strawbury Duck near Entwistle Reservoir, Great Hill and White Coppice.

Albert Sunter, Josie Greenhalgh, Michelle Sunter, Gordon Stone, Christa Whatmough and Ed Swift all completed with good performances.

This Saturday sees a squad of harriers heading to London for the English National Cross Country Championships, while many club members will race in the Lostock 6.