BLACKBURN Harriers bagged a team title double at Saturday’s Lancashire Cross Country Championships.

The club won both the senior and veterans men’s prizes at the big Witton Park event.

Peter Matthews led the charge by finishing sixth in 34 minutes and 39 seconds, just over a minute behind the race winner, Salford Harriers’ Stuart Robinson.

Matt Nuttall followed up in 13th in 36mins, ensuring him of the MV45 honour, with Christopher Davies 20th in 37mins 11secs, Karl Billington 21st in 37mins 17secs, Brian Fogerty 23rd in 37mins 32secs and Shaun Livesey 26th in 37mins 51secs.

Nuttall and Livesey, the second fastest MV40, were also part of the veterans men’s winning team along with Mark Chippendale and David Almond.

Chris Fell, of Rossendale Harriers, finished 12th in 35mins 29secs, with clubmates Rob Webb 15th in 36mins 19secs and Anthony Dalton 25th in 37mins 36secs.

Also making the top 20 was Clayton-le-Moors Harriers’ Christopher Holdsworth in 18th in 36mins 58secs.

Hyndburn AC’s Jacob Boyle was the fifth-fastest MU20 and 28th overall in 37mins 57secs while Christopher Smale, of Barlick Fell Runners, claimed the MV50 title after finishing 35th overall in 38mins 33secs.

There was also an age group prize for Clayton-le-Moors Harriers’ David Scott, who was the fastest MV70 and 125th overall in 49mins 48secs.

Joanne Nelson raced to third place and the LV40 prize in the ladies race in 27mins 17secs.

One place behind in fourth was Helen Leigh of Blackburn Harriers in 27mins 37secs.

Manx Harriers’ Rachel Franklin won the race in 26mins 54secs.

Trawden AC’s Christina Singleton was the second-fastest LV35 and eighth overall in 28mins 22secs.

Then came Accrington Road Runners’ Deborah Gowans, the fastest LV50 and 11th overall in 28mins 52secs.

Her performance, combined with those of Julia Hartley and Lisa Parker, earned Accrington Road Runners the ladies veterans team title.

There were also top-20 spots for Trawden AC’s Autumn Howard, who was 18th in 29mins 49secs, and Blackburn Harriers’ Sarah Toms, who was 20th in 30mins 7secs.

Toms, Leigh and Beckie Taylor helped the Harriers finished fourth in the ladies team standings.