HORWICH duo Danny Hope and Lindsey Brindle conquered Britain's highest peak with good performances at the Ben Nevis Mountain Race.

Hope finished in 19th place after a period of rest from races and Brindle was third woman home in the race that has been her target this year after recovering from a serious back injury.

Someone who also knows Ben Nevis well is Mark Birbeck, who suffered a back injury in the same race a couple of years ago, and he continued his recovery this week at Kilnsey Crag in Yorkshire.

Ian Conroy raced in the World Masters Mountain championship where he helped Ireland win the team prize at under-35 level, and with 10 Ireland athletes in the top 20 it augurs well for their future prospects in the World Masters.

Tony Hesketh has a long pedigree in fell running and still does it regularly, competing for prizes in his V65 category.

He also puts a lot back into the sport through coaching a fine set of junior Harriers and in organising several club races. This week he inaugurated a club 5k trail race at Rivington where seniors Sam Wardle and Michael Chadderton only just held off the squad of eager juniors, including Rob Seddon, who came in under 20 minutes closely chased by fellow u15s Matthew Flatters and Matthew Mair.

First home for the u13s was Isaac Battye, and for the girls, Milly Lever was first home, just like she was as at the Murder Mile the week before.

Isabella Merritt was first u13 girl and at u11s, it was Harrison Stokes and Emma Bradley who vied for first place.

The City of Salford 10k attracts a strong field and featured fine top-10 performances by Michael Cayton (fourth) and Lukas Siska (ninth).

Rob Jackson won the M50 category, while team-mate Neil Holding – 11 seconds ahead of him – was pipped in the M55 category by Derek Crewe, of Salford.

At the Wigan 10k the same day, David Unsworth was seeking another M55 category win after one at Pilling last week but came third in the category after finishing 138th in a big field of 3,000 runners.

In parkrun, Richard Howarth experienced a rare second place at Cuerden Valley, finishing 19 seconds behind Nick Leigh who the next day was M40 category winner at the second running of the long Castle Carr fell race where Phil Marsden continued his great season with a strong 11th place.

The juniors also continue to impress at parkrun with Matthew Smith in his 81st run at Bolton getting a new personal best.

In the Queens Park junior parkrun it was a good one-two for Horwich with Georgia Heath and Lucy Dixon both achieving 74-per-cent age gradings on their first turnout in this event.

Horwich RMI Harriers results: World Masters Mountain Running championships (Pruske, Slovak Republic) U35 – 3rd Ian Conroy 39mins 33secs.

Grasmere Senior Guides fell race – 65th Steven Foley 19:33.

Kilnsey Crag fell race (Upper Wharfedale) – 114th Mark Birbeck 17:59.

Ben Nevis mountain race – 19th Danny Hope 1:48:54; 89th Lindsey Brindle 2:05:57.

City of Salford 10k – 4th Michael Cayton 31:36; 9th Lukas Siska 33:47; 40th Neil Holding 37:21; 44th Rob Jackson 37:32; 187th Erica Booth 42:49; 968th Lawrence Pinnell 55:10.

Wigan 10k – 138th David Unsworth 42:09; 520th Geoff Leech 48:44; 816th Bernadette Unsworth 52:24; 1938th Lesley Davidson 1:04:59; 1941st Lynn Smith 1:05:00.

Shelf Moor fell race (Old Glossop) – 74th David Barnes 1:12:22.

Castle Carr fell race (Hebden Bridge) – 11th Phil Marsden 2:05:12; 17th Nick Leigh 2:14:32; 50th Jonathan Bruton 2:28:07; 55th Mark Walsh 2:30:58; 123rd Brian Walton 2:54:39; 181st Steve Jackson 3:22:27.