BURNDEN teams put in a competitive set of performances at the Northern Athletics Combined Autumn Relays at Manchester's SportCity.

Against the north’s leading amateur runners, the men finished in 87th place out of 128 teams with a combined time of 2hrs 30mins 59secs for their six legs.

Lee White set them on their way, covering the 6.8k course in 25:23, followed by Rob Short in 24:37 and Paul Duke in 24:22.

Marcus Taylor took the fourth leg in 25:31, handing over to Ed Ashton who came back in 26:06. Steve Nolan completed the team effort, posting the fastest of the six times at 25:00.

Gwen Kinloch got the women’s team off to a great start, covering their 5.4k course in 25:03, handing over to Anne Ferguson who posted 26:40.

Kate Ellis went next and came back in 27:07 with Kirsty White completing the quartet in 24:52.

Their combined time of 1:43:42 earned them 49th place out of just less than 100 teams.

Burnden also entered an incomplete team which was made up of George Butler (30:50), Mark Butler (31:10), Marcus Hamer (30:08), Ged Turner (28:57) and Mike Watkinson (27:26).

Paula Pilling won the women’s Ladybower 20-mile race, a scenic route around Ladybower and Derwent reservoirs in the Peak District alongside Snake Pass. Pilling was 10th overall in a time of 2:47:13.

The day before the road relays at SportCity, Marcus Taylor tackled the Lost Shepherd Fell Race at Mytholmroyd, near Hebden Bridge.

He covered the open moor and footpaths of the 15-mile course with 2,690 feet of climbing in 2:25:29, 22nd out of 53 finishers.

Mumtaz Patel travelled north of the border for the Scottish Half Marathon in Edinburgh and posted a great time of 1:43:46.

Rachael Barrett was Burnden's sole representative at the Southport Seaside 10k and completed the course in 58:24.