THE 49th running of the classic Three Peaks Fell Race turned into a Clayton cakewalk as the club fielded the men's and women's winners in the same year for the first time in their history.

Although for both winners - Dave Walker and Bev Whitfield - it was their first win in the event, the Three Peaks success is definitely in their genes.

Walker became the first Clayton Harrier to win the race outright since Dennis Hopkinson in 1963, although the 25-year-old's father Harry, currently of Clayton but then representing Blackburn Harriers, was a three time winner in 1978, 1979 and again in 1981.

A thrilled Harry was there as a spectator on Sunday to see Dave defy a heel injury sustained at Rivington a week before and win the gruelling 24-miler by over six minutes in 3 hours 6 minutes 27 seconds.

Run in wind and drizzle with all the peaks in the mist until mid-afternoon, a group of six athletes set the pace up Pen-y-Ghent.

By the time they hit the long run to Whernside it was down to three before former Rossendale Harrier Andy Schofield lost touch at the water station at Ribblehead.

Schofield, second last year was to finish third.

Feeling his one remaining opponent Matt Whitfield from Bingley weakening, Walker pushed hard on the climb up Whernside and was on his own for the remainder of the race.

Helped by a tail wind on the descent from Ingleborough, he sailed home with nobody else in sight.

Whitfield retired from the race, but there were no problems for his wife, Clayton Harrier Bev, who led the ladies race most of the way.

She beat her personal target of four hours in conditions not conducive to fast times.

Logging 3:56:40 she was 54th outright and first woman home by nearly seven minutes.

With the number of entrants aged over 60 exceeding those under 40, 23-year-old Bev was the youngest athlete in the race.

Like Walker she has a real fell running pedigree and waiting for her at the finish was her father Pete McWade, who had enjoyed a splendid run to finish eighth outright in 3:27:59 and win the over 50 classification.

Now aged 56, he once held the over 50 record for the Peaks and his over 40 record still stands.

Joining Walker and McWade in the winning Clayton team were fifth placed Andy Orr, home in 3:25:58 and Martin Podmore 11th in 3:33:10.

The club were also successful in the supervets (over 50s) team where stalwarts Kieran Carr, third in class in 3:48:31, and Dave Scott shared the honours with McWade.

For Scott, competing just a day short of his 60th birthday, it was his 36th Peaks Race bringing him within two of the all time record.

Only the over 40 title eluded the Clayton men as Horwich's former Blackburn Harrier Graham Schofield finished 6th in 3:26:06 to shade Pudsey's Paul Briscoe by a mere eight seconds.

Flying the flag for Bowland Fell Runners were Chris Reade and Lee Warburton in ninth and 12th respectively, while Todmorden's Robert Glover was 17th.

There was no women's race until 1979, but Wendy Dodds has since completed 20 with Katy Thompson on 13.

This year they were third and fourth veterans with Wendy going round in 4:28:40 and Katy completing in 4:32:33.

Along with Whitfield they helped Clayton finish second in the team standings behind Ilkley.

Accrington Road Runners' former Lancashire champion Debbie Gowans can claim with some justification to being the first East Lancastrian as Whitfield has recently moved to that Mecca for fell runners - Norwich! Debbie was fifth woman in 4:12:12.