Six of Burnden Road Runners’ best flew the flag at Harrock Hill and, with a hop, skip and a run, it was Pete Hopley who led the group home in a lightning time of 42mins 6secs.

On a glorious evening in Parbold, a perfect storm of Burndeners thundered around the 5.3-mile course this week as the Harrock Hill challengers stepped it up a notch for race two of the series.

Closely following Hopley home was Gareth Lowe – on a high with 47:55.

Anne Ferguson was first Burnden lady in a super 49:13 and Andy Warburton rose to the challenge with a good time of 53:06. Holly Craggs was next in 53:49, followed by Mark Butler in a time of 58:00.

Heaton Park was basking in warmth as Gayle Gerrard headed out midweek to the ‘Chase the Sun 10K’.

Organised by RunThrough Events, along with a 5K and 10-mile race, the course takes runners round the park paths in a hilly, two-lap course.

Gerrard was home in a time of 52:44 for third lady.

Elsewhere, Patrick Filio was off to the seaside for the Fylde Coast Runners’ Southport 10K and achieved his best 10K in a long time - managing to maintain the same splits from mile one to mile six and crediting Burnden training with improving his performance.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Entwistle, along with Jen Forkin and her mum – Burnden Beginner, Pat Worthington, were off to Witton Park to race for life at the annual fundraiser for Cancer Research.

The group stuck together around the beautiful park and mixed the run with some walking - all finishing hand in hand in 57:26.

Fast and furious fell runner, Mark Jackson, took on the challenge of Aggie’s Staircase this week - a fell organised by Darwen Dashers.

Reaching heights of 350 metres, the staircase of the race title is the name of the shortest but steepest of a trio of climbs on this route, which also passes Robin’s Hood cottage, treks up to Darwen Tower, climbs the rough path of Jacob’s Ladder and descends towards Sunnyhurst.

Jackson completed the 6.4K in an impressive 39:23.

A total of 37 members were visiting parkruns this weekend and Simon Marland travelled furthest, adding Hemel Hempstead’s Gadebridge parkrun to his list and finishing in 24:31.

Closer to home, 26 Burndeners were loyal to Leverhulme with sixth overall Mark Jackson and Tom Stratton the top two males with respective times of 20:54 and 21:20. First Burnden lady was Katherine Baines in 24:30.

Other results: Andy Dunleavy 22:26, Stephen Horsman 23:16, Lawrence McDonald 25:13, Simon Entwistle 26:28, Gareth Doherty 26:38, Josh Palmer 27:05, Kathryn Berry 28:58, Neil Counsell 29:11, Paul Johnson 29:28, Linda O’Byrne 29:33, Teresa Riley 29:45, Howard Sparke 30:24, Philip Glassbrook 30:33, Nia Bell 32:06, Gillian Morris 33:05, Jennifer Entwistle 33:33, Anthony Fulop 33:48, Joyce Tyldesley 38:08, Ian Mann 39:28, Sue Blackman 39:30, Cheryl Dunleavy 39:30, Debra Hennessey 41:21, Steven Snape 41:42.

Other parkrun results: Haigh Woodland – Liz Hopley 31:07; Heaton Park – Adrian Ashburn 22:28, Gayle Gerrard 24:40, Chris Greenall 25:09; Fletcher Moss – Sarah Brown 32:15, Michelle Livesey 35:56.