LOSTOCK AC’s Albert Sunter saw out 2019 with a storming run at the New Year’s Eve Trails and Ales fell race around Rivington.

Starting at Cumberland School, Rivington and climbing to and around Winter Hill for seven miles, Sunter returned a time of 1:01:06 to finish 14th overall out of a field of 117 as well as first in age group before collecting his prize and well-deserved pie and pint at the Brewery Bar, Horwich who were race sponsors.

Another Lostocker seeing out 2019 on the hills and moors of northern England was Mark Checkley at the Browstones fell race in the Peak District.

Starting and finishing in Poynton and heading up to Higher Poynton and the Bowstones themselves for seven miles before returning through Lyme Park, Checkley turned in a time of 1:16:01.

That performance was all the more satisfying, given that Checkley started 2019 with a serious injury that prevented any running in the first half of the year.

New Year’s Day saw Rachel Hancock and Matt and Joanna Withers start 2020 at Haigh Woodland Park Run with times of 24:53, 26:42 and 32:10 respectively.

The first full weekend of 2020 at Haigh Woodland parkrun saw Gareth Pratt, Chris Taylor, Matt Withers, Ian Burns and Joanna Withers turn in times of 22:33, 23:33, 25:17, 27:41 and 31:54, while Sol Badat, Rachel Hancock and Jocelyn Chadderton turned in times of 20:14, 28:25 and 30:26 at Bolton parkrun.

Sunday also saw 30 Lostock members celebrate the new year with the club’s annual Haggis social run from Rivington Barn to the Pike and Two Lads.