DANNY Hope scooped second prize in the MV40 category in the latest round of fell running's British Championships at Stuc a Chroin in Perthshire.

The tough race involves 5,000 feet of climbing packed into 12 miles and Hope's fine display sees him sit second overall in the MV40 category after two of the four events – the next is in Cumbria in June.

Meanwhile, in the Peak District, the club’s 2016 fell champion, Simon Pymm, won the Rainow race by a sizeable margin, continuing a good vein of form built upon the hard slog of cross-country running that saw him take the South East Lancs XC title during the winter.

In Chorley, Julian Goudge got his first win in Horwich colours in the first of the four-race series of the Astley Park trail race, managing to keep Andrew Kaufman, of Wigan, at bay for the duration of the race.

At the same venue there was a big turnout of 25 junior Harriers in a large field of runners.

Multiple Greater Manchester county cap, Lewis Wilkes, was fourth and the other standout performance came from Emma Bradley, who was second in the under-11s girls’ category.

A similarly big field is expected on Wednesday for the club’s own Jubilee Street races. The juniors start at 6.45pm from near Rivington Village club, with the senior race following at 7.30pm.

Back on the fells, Mark Birbeck is making a tenacious recovery from serious injury and took on the Sedbergh fell race. Father and son, Jason and Theo Middleton, also featured.

Mad Bull’s trail race through the Yarrow River country park, near Chorley, produced another first in Horwich colours – this time for Linda Webb who took the F55 category.

Gillian Smith also won the F65 category, while husband-and-wife team, Brenda and Tony Hesketh, each gained second place in their vet categories.

Horwich RMI Harriers results: Astley Park trail race (Chorley) – seniors – 1st Julian Goudge 24:53, 16th James Jordan 28:10, 90th Gordon Stone 34:15; juniors – 4th Lewis Wilkes 5:04, 7th Matthew Flatters 5:20, 13th Isaac Simmonite 5:28, 14th Kieran Kinealy 5:29, 20th Milly Lever 5:42, 24th Isabella Merritt 5:45, 26th Ella Pendlebury 5:47, 32nd Ethan Isaacs 5:52, 42nd Freya Whittle 6:05, 45th Nat Latham 6:08, 54th Lucas Brennand 6:15, 55th Emma Bradley 6:16, 58th Callum Mosley 6:20, 62nd Alyssia Jackson 6:24, 63rd Joshua Houghton 6:25, 74th Lucas Collings 6:40, 78th Oliver Gibson 6:46, 83rd Lena Wegrzyn 7:12, 91st Jake Mayor 7:42, 96th Lydia Johnson 7:48, 98th Aidan McKenna 7:50, 111th Martha Kay 8:00, 113th Ben Flatters 8:04, 122nd William Kay 8:22, 136th Gabriella Collings 9:14.

Yarrow River Bluebell trail race (Chorley) – 30th Tony Hesketh 52:21, 59th Linda Webb 57:42, 172nd Gillian Smith 1:13:19, 176th Emma Renshaw 1:13:57, 209th Brenda Hesketh 1:18:17, 230th Kristina Mountain 1:20:39, 231st Justine Topping 1:20:39.

Stuc a Chroin fell race (Perthshire) – 20th Danny Hope 2:23:49, 231st Mick Green 3:31:13, Steve Jackson 3:35:18. Kentmere Trail 10k Race (Staveley) – 353rd Lesley Davidson 1:35:05, 354th Lynn Smith 1:35:05.

Kentmere 17k Trail Challenge (Staveley) – 243rd Julie Williamson 2:05:33.

Wigan 10k trail race – 195th Derek Whittle 1:01:26.

Sedbergh fell race – 73rd Mark Birbeck 38:18, 76th Jason Middleton 40:58; junior U12 – Theo Middleton 11:09.

Rainow 5 fell race (Macclesfield) – 1st Simon Pymm 33:04.