CALDER Valley Fell Runners star Karl Grey raced to victory in Saturday’s Tour of Pendle.

The 45-year-old showed his class to come out on top at the popular annual event which this year was made more difficult by claggy conditions up on the top.

Plenty of Barlick Fell Runners and Clayton-le-Moors Harriers members were out in force.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Luke Maude led the way for the former, finishing 10th, while Lorraine Slater produced a 17-minute personal best to finish as the third-fastest FV45.

Clayton-le-Moors Harriers fell running captain Dave Motley, meanwhile, said: “Another year, another hard slog at the Tour of Pendle, misty conditions giving team Clayton a home advantage.

“My race went well, setting off steady and trying to work through the field almost giving Chris Holdsworth a fright on the last descent, although his tarmac speed allowed him to beat me.”

The latest race in the Mid Lancs Cross Country League was held in Barrow-in-Furness on the same day with East Lancashire runners, junior and senior, enjoying success, Briony Holt, of Clayton-le-Moors Harriers, won the U13s girls race in 11 minutes and five seconds with Blackburn Harriers’ Amy Davies following up in third in 11mins 18secs.

Pendle AC enjoyed a double victory, Kai Atkins winning the U15s boys race in 12mins and Thomas Marchant taking top spot in the U17s men’s race in 18mins 35secs.

Sarah Tipler, of Barlick Fell Runners, finished second in the ladies race in 20mins 22secs but would have came second had she not taken a wrong turn.

One place behind in fourth was Trawden AC’s Christina Singleton in 20mins 25secs.

In the men’s race Stephen Chew spearheaded the area’s charge, the Barlick Fell Runners ace passing the post in seventh in 31mins 16secs.

Clubmates Chris Singleton and Marc Hartley followed up in 11th and 13th in 31mins 33secs and 31mins 55secs respectively.

Barlick Fell Runners finished second in the men’s team standings thanks to the trio’s efforts and the efforts of Ian Livesey, Christopher Smale and Daniel Taylor.

At Sunday’s Preston 10, meanwhile, Blackburn Harriers’ Shaun Livesey was the third-fastest MV40 and 12th overall in 56mins 17secs.

Davies, having competed in Barrow-in-Furness the day before, followed up in 15th in 57mins 31secs.

Clayton-le-Moors Harriers’ Stephen Biscomb was the fastest MV60 and 108th overall in one hour, 9mins 22secs while Blackburn Harriers’ Samantha Mccreadie was the third female home and 63rd overall in 1hr 5mins 19secs.