TWO Chorley teenagers make their England debuts in Northern Ireland this weekend in the Irish and British Junior International Fell Running Championships.

Vicky Snape, who is 15, and 17-year-old Nat Lawton, both members of Chorley Athletic Club, will be joined by Katie Ingram of Chorley Harriers who, at 16, is already a seasoned international.

The trio were selected after a trial race held at Rivington a fortnight ago, a race that neither Vicky nor Nat had planned to run.

Vicky's coach, Stuart Swann, forgot to enter her in to the Blackpool Illuminations Track and Field Meeting which was held on the same day, so offered to take her to Rivington instead.

The invitation was extended to Nat after Stuart bumped into him at the North West Counties Road Relays the day before.

Vicky's England selection marks a sharp change in fortune. In her last fell race, at West Nab a year ago, she suffered a heavy fall, sustaining injuries which required stitches.

Although she has some experience on the fells, she is better known as a solid performer on track and country.

Last year she was the Lancashire Champion at 1,500m, and this year she won medals at both 800m and 1,500m.

In cross country she competes for Chorley AC in the SE Lancs and Mid Lancs leagues and can be relied upon for a top three finish.

Teachers at Parklands School first spotted her potential when she was 11 and suggested that she join a club.

She ran with Chorley Harriers until switching this season and will have a friend on the trip as she has known Katie since they met at Chorley Marlins Swimming Club.

Although he has excelled on all surfaces, Nat feels his England selection confirms fell running as his greatest strength.

He has represented Lancashire several times in cross country and prefers off road although he is also a County Champion on the track having won the under 17s 1,500m steeplechase in May.

Local successes this season include the Daffodil Doddle in July. He started running at primary school and now is in his sixth season with Chorley AC.

It has been a big week for him because, having just turned 17 he is taking his first driving lesson this weekend.

Katie has recently returned from Arta Terme in Northern Italy where she was running in her first World Trophy - fell running's world championships.

Competing in the under 20s race, against girls up to four years older she finished 19th of around 50 competitors and took fourth place for her age.

The England team were fifth. She was pleased with her run and liked the course, but lacked a bit of confidence on the downhill stretch after not being able to run on the fells at home because of the countryside restrictions.

At Rivington, Katie finished second in the under 16 race behind Lucy O'Gorman of Penistone to earn automatic selection for the England team.

Vicky was awarded a place after her fourth position, selector Norman Matthews praising her strong run which brought her home only 42 seconds behind Katie.

In fact, such was the strength of the under 16s that Katie is being moved up an age group to strengthen the under 18 team.

Nat said he found the race tough, but finished fourth to earn the selectors' nod in the boys Under 18 race.