RADCLIFFE AC’s Donna Cartwright finished a fantastic sixth in the Red Rose Cross Country League and has been crowned first Vet-40.

Cartwright, who started running at the age of 10, was taking part in her 32nd cross-country season.

The results were confirmed after the final fixture of the four-race series which is contested by 21 clubs.

Twelve Radcliffe runners took on the challenging course at Marl Pits in Rossendale on Saturday which included slippery hills and thigh-deep mud.

Cartwright clocked 25mins 21secs to finish ninth and first Vet-40 in the ladies’ race, while Katie Percival was 17th in 26:25.

They were joined by Paula Abernethy, who ran 30:47, Caroline Malone (34:09), Deborah Barrington (38:19) and Karen Doherty (39:09).

Abernethy finished fourth Vet-50 in the league while Elaine Bailey, who did not run the final race, was second Vet-60.

In the men’s race, Dave McGrath was 39th in 38:45, Craig Norman ran 39:26, Chris Paxton clocked 43:26, Paul Barrington finished in 52:01 and Mark Wolfenden crossed the line in 58:37.

Junior Olivia Whittaker was 34th in the under-11 girls’ race in 10:17. She came 36th in her age group in the league in her first cross-country season.

Ian Warrington and Robert Short were chasing quick times at the Podium 5k at Barrowfield, near Chorley, billed as one of the fastest 5k courses in the country.

The conditions were too icy for personal bests but Warrington finished fourth in the event’s B race in 17:29, just three seconds ahead of Short in fifth.

Elaine Bailey ran 2:15:14 to claim third Vet-60 at the Nottingham Half Marathon, while Lee Turner completed 1,099 feet of climbing in the five-mile Gravy Pud Fell Race in Tintwistle in 50:54.

Two Radcliffe runners joined the 482-strong field at the Wesham 10k in Fylde with Dave Rushton finishing 123rd in 45:08, while wife Sarah ran 1:00:47.

Rob Lister was 25th and second vet-50 at Bolton parkrun in 23:17, Grace Williams was second JW15-17 in 32:10, Bev Quinton ran 40:14 and Lucy Dewhurst ran 49:16 with daughter Imogen Smith, who was first JW10.