BLACKBURN Harriers were the top performing East Lancashire club at the Northern Athletics Road Relay Championships held at Heaton Park, Manchester.

Robert Warner, Paul Bradshaw, Karl Billington, Ben Fish, Zachary Howe, Stephen Chew, Paul Guinan, Matthew Lalor, Matt Nuttall, Andy Buttery and Thomas Blaney teamed up to ensure the Harriers’ A team finished ninth in the men’s competition in a combined time of four hours, 41 minutes and four seconds.

Fish was their star performer with his time of 28mins 12secs the 16th-fastest individual long leg.

Rossendale Harriers, comprising Robert Webb, Philip Bolton, Joseph Johnston, Andy Preston, Ashley Holt, Grant Cunliffe, Christopher Fell, A Dalton-O’Reilly, Sean Molloy, Daniel Walsh, Iain Hazell and Andrew Fell, were 19th in 4hours, 54mins 58secs.

Blackburn Harriers B were 39th in 5hours, 13mins 34secs, Clayton-le-Moors Harriers 48th in 5hours, 25mins 3secs, Accrington Road Runners 55th in 5hours, 34mins 32secs, and Blackburn Harriers C 65th in 6hours, 18mins 47secs.

Blackburn Harriers also led the way the women’s event with their A team of Helen Leigh, Samantha McCready, Rachel Wood, Laura Hesketh, Shelly Tattersall and Catherine Guinan finishing 15th in 2hours, 2mins 45secs. Leigh had the 33rd-fastest individual long leg in 18mins 26secs.

Accrington Road Runners A, comprising Debbie Gowans, Julie Brady, Lisa Parker, Zoe Jayne Hurley, Amanda Parkinson and Julia Hartley, were 18th in 2hours, 3mins 37secs.

Autumn Howard, Jill Maxfield, Jean Baistow, Nicola White and Donna Marsden helped Trawden AC finish 39th in 2hours, 21mins 47secs.