BURNDEN’S Paula Pilling won the inaugural ladies' 10k Mast Race at Smithills on Sunday.

She crossed the line in 22nd place overall with a time of 47mins 53secs and Burnden took second place in the women’s event as well, with Lesley Fisher making it up to Winter Hill and back to the finish at Smithills School in 50:04.

A total of 47 members took part, representing nearly a fifth of the entire field, and there was a string of age-category successes.

Fog and icy surfaces on both road and trail sections proved testing and several members took tumbles.

Andy Staveley was the first Burndener to finish, taking the V55 prize in 43:14, just ahead of Mark Jackson, first V35 in 43:39.

Phil Glassbrook took the V70 category with 1:03:29, while Marcus Chester crossed the line in 45:37, coming third V40, and Gareth Doherty was fifth in the same age group with 47:18.

Christophe Menand was fourth V45 in and Tony Wall fourth V55 in 51:04, while Anthony Foster was second V70 in 1:17:51 despite suffering a heavy fall on the icy downhill.

Katherine Page won the V50 prize with her time of 1:02:07 and Brenda Sedgwick was first F70 in 1:18:59. Elaine Roper took second V55 spot with a time of 1:01:32.

Five of the top six F40 finishers came from Burnden – the winner Paula Pilling, Lorraine Halwood (57:26), Sarah Sutcliffe (59:32), Jackie Oakes (59:58) and Linda O’Byrne (1:01:06).

The F45 category was also dominated by Burnden as Lucille Corrigan won it with 54:54.

She was followed by Katy Thompson (57:42), Jackie Spiby (1:05:33), Sally Cottrill (1:06:00) and Diane Morrison (1:08:17) in the next four places.

Corrigan’s time, along with those of Pilling and Fisher, earned Burnden the ladies' team prize too.

Julie Newton was fourth F50 in 1:08:05 and Gillian McGowan was fifth F55 in 1:34:35.

Other Burnden results: Adrian Merritt (50:08), Steven Bate (52:59), Richard Blake (54:34), Kris Worsley (56:11), Craig Philpot (58:13), Jeff Pendlebury (1:02:08), Alec Cottrill (1:05:59), John Hall (1:09:21), Phil Holden (1:09:22), Karen Taylor (1:10:12), Louise Wall (1:12:27), Emma Walker (1:14:07), Debra Hennessey (1:15:25), Joanne Darby (1:15:26), Susan Wood (1:16:02), Tracy Cameron (1:18:01), Julie Bower (1:19:14), Tracy Hindley (1:20:28), Louise Geoghegan (1:22:09), Dawn Evans (1:23:36), Christine Pendlebury (1:34:35), Dave Beevers (1:37:05), Paul Sedgwick (tail runner) (1:42:42).