EAST Lancashire’s athletes were spoilt for choice over the hectic Easter period – and once again the Pendle Fell Race took centre stage.

The tranquil and picturesque Barley village is the setting for one of the most popular events of the year and more so as it incorporates the Senior and Junior Lancashire Fell Running Championship.

Organisers David Bailey, Ken Richardson and their team from Clayton-le-Moors Harriers staged another excellent day of racing in ideal conditions, beginning with 269 juniors competing in five age group races at a variety of distances.

A total of 284 adult runners than tackled the four-and-a-half mile main race to the trig point and back, with Bingsley Harrier Rob Jebb stealing the honours in just 31 minutes and 20 seconds, half a minute ahead of second-placed Rob Hope, who is based in Wheelton, near Chorley.

Rossendale Harrier Brendon Taylor, in eighth, and Dominic Raby, ninth, were among those recording sub-35 minute finishes, while Rossendale’s Ashley Holt, Paul Guinan of Blackburn Harriers and Clayton’s Dave Nuttall attained top 25 places.

Nuttall was also part of the Clayton six-strong team that retained the Lancashire Fell Running Team Championship, while the club also provided two individual gold medal senior winners in the shape of Peter Booth and Jean Rawlinson in their respective over 60 classes.

The focus is on enjoyment rather than competition for the youngest junior races, so there are no medals handed out in the U8 or U10 age groups.

But there was lots of older youngsters eager to make their mark at Barley.

For the second year running, Hyndburn’s Joshua Boyle won the Lancashire Boys’ U12 Championship, while club-mate Blythe Fourie took the girls’ race in the same age group.

In the U14 category, Elizabeth Greenwood of Blackburn Harriers was comfortably the leading girl.

Blackburn’s Robert Wong was the leading 14-year-old in the U16 boys’ section, with his team-mate Connor Mahoney coming second, and they both took gold and silver respectively in the county championships.

Connor’s brother Dominic had to settle for third place in the U18 section, but he was first in the Lancashire Championships, and Clayton’s Helena Leathley also took gold.