THE Track and Field season has started for real with the first league fixture of the summer - the Mid Lancs at Stanley Park, Blackpool.

This competition gives our local athletes a rare chance to go head to head as it features most of the East Lancashire clubs and every age group from under 13s to seniors.

Blackburn Harriers, newly promoted to the first division in both the male and female leagues, were rapidly into their stride with the men second to Blackpool and the women third behind Blackpool and Preston.

Alison Leonard, now eligible to count towards the club's score after completing her move from Chorley Harriers, was a dominant winner in the senior 800m, clocking 2:09.5 for a 14 second margin over her nearest rival.

Claude Peter-Thomas won the senior long jump and triple jump, and Luke Evans scored a double in the under 17 sprints as the club racked up 12 victories.

Pendle's men are in the second division, but the women are in the top tier and took six of the club's seven victories on the day. Sophie Hitchon, the new UK record holder in the under 17s hammer, launched another massive throw to register 47.9 metres and backed that with wins in the 200m and shot. Senior Eleanor Markendale won both jumps.

Rossendale Harriers were short in numbers, but under 15s Anthony Hauserman and Dominic Walton provided the quality in the middle distances. Anthony won the 800m in 2:15.7 with Dominic taking the 1500m in 4:51.0.

Mainstay of the Burnley contingent was Jonathan Kirkaldy, first in the under 13s 100m and 200m while Ben Knight from Chorley AC took the under 15s 400m.

There was a large turn out of Hyndburn AC athletes and for some it was their first proper competition. Club spokesman Mike Grime reported some great feedback from the newcomers. "Everybody who took part enjoyed themselves," he said.

Hyndburn's men were third in the first division with the women third in the second, missing the runners up spot by two points.

Hyndburn Results: U13 Girls: Faith Biddle: 1st 200m, 1st Long Jump, 4th 100m Rachel Martin: 1st Shot, 4th Discus (u15) Heidi Hamshere: 2nd Shot, 3rd Discus (u15) U15 Boys: Josh Blysniuk: 1st Discus. 2nd Shot, 3rd Javelin James Brownless: 5th 800m Josh Fisher: 5th 1500m Thomas Dewhurst: 6th 100m U15 Girls: Alicia Mulligan: 2nd 200m, 2nd Long Jump, 3rd Javelin Daisy Embra: 3rd 800m, 4th Javelin Rebeka Edmondson: 2nd Shot Jade Blackledge: 3rd Shot, 5th 100m U17 Men: Russell Race: 2nd Shot, 3rd Hammer Declan Lyons: 1st Discus, 3rd Shot Nathan Penman: 2nd Hammer, 2nd Discus Senior Women: Heather Donald: 1st 100m, 1st 200m, 1st Triple Jump Sophie Hart: 2nd 100m Nicola Breaks: 1st High Jump, 1st Javelin, 2nd Triple Jump Claire Mitchell: 2nd Javelin Senior Men: Daniel Martin: 1st Javelin, 4th Long Jump Stephen Sumner: 2nd 100m, 2nd 200m Chris Clark: 4th 200m, 5th 100m Nick Rawcliffe: 5th Long Jump Daniel Bates: 3rd Javelin Wayne Edmondson: 3rd Shot, 3rd Discus, 6th Hammer Mike Grime: 5th Hammer, 5th Shot, 5th Discus