LUKE Massey starred at the latest Curley’s 5k race.

Running as a junior, he produced an impressive time of 18mins 41secs for sixth place in freezing cold sleety mud that tested all runners.

Horwich pulled off a one-two with James Kevan winning ahead of Nick Leigh in the second race of the series.

Tony Hesketh and Gillian Smith won the M65 and F65 categories, respectively.

Three days later, on Saturday, it was Leigh’s turn to claim top spot when he won the seven-mile Wardle Skyline fell race which included 1200ft of ascent. Horwich also had three category winners in Graham Schofield, Paul Boardman and Suzanne Budgett.

On the same day Andy Ford took on the 40-mile Lakes Mountain challenge involving 10,000ft of climb, including crossing the precarious Striding Edge on Helvellyn.

He completed the course in 8:25:00 for eighth place in a field restricted to 100 very competent mountain runners.

On Sunday in the Manchester Marathon Richard, Howarth came 28th out of more than 9,300 runners in a fine time of 2:37:51.

Brendan Bolland, Derek Whittle and David Crawford all finished under the four-hour mark, with Julie Williamson only 19 seconds over that mark.

In the Queen's Park junior parkrun Lewis Wilkes was first home, while at Haigh Woodland Isaac Battye as a J10 first timer was 14th in just under 23 minutes.

Results

Curley’s 5k (Horwich) – 17:34 James Kevan (1st), 18:07 Nick Leigh (2nd), 18:41 Luke Massey (6th), 21:08 Danny Kevan (12th), 22:13 Paul Boardman (18th), 22:29 Richard Marlton (22nd), 22:46 Glynn Lever (26th), 23:05 Layne Mercer (31st), 23:23 Mark Swindell (35th), 24:48 Tony Hesketh (42nd), 27:45 Michael Vernon (58th), 28:06 Gordon Stone (62nd), 29:40 Keith Lewthwaite (69th), 35:43 Emma Renshaw (94th), 36:39 Rachel Fallows (100th), 37:32 Gillian Smith (104th), 37:41 Julie Williamson (106th), 39:47 Ed Swift (113th).

Lakes Mountain Race – 08:25:00 Andy Ford (8th).

Wardle Skyline fell race – 47:35 Nick Leigh (1st), 54:39 Graham Schofield (26th), 55:36 Dan Gilbert (32nd), 55:54 Paul Boardman (33rd), 56:48 Gary Chadderton (40th), 56:57 Nick Kelly (42nd), 59:17 Doug Fleming (56th), 60:24 Suzanne Budgett (69th), 61:29 Sandra Kelly (76th), 61:35 Mark Swindell (77th), 62:41 David Barnes (86th), Lawrence Pinnell (128th).

Manchester Marathon – 02:37:51 Richard Howarth (28th), 03:42:18 Brendan Bolland (2667th), 03:56:55 Derek Whittle (3980th), 03:59:59 David Crawford (4358th), 04:00:19 Julie Williamson.