THE first English Fell Championship Race for 18 months attracted 450 runners to Barley on Saturday.

The nine mile Half Tour of Pendle was to have been the pipe opener in last season's championship, but it was cancelled at the eleventh hour as the foot and mouth epidemic took a hold.

Ultimately the entire season was decimated, so this season's race celebrated the end of the troubles.

It was ironic that the new summer season would be greeted by an official severe weather warning which kept the Rossendale Search and Rescue Team on their toes.

As blizzards lashed the hillside local knowledge became a factor for the athletes and the Clayton Harriers over 50 veteran team took full advantage to win team honours.

Jack Holt and Kieran Carr were both in the top ten over 50's with Ian Robinson not far behind. Rossendale's Ken Taylor beat all of them though to take fourth in the age group while Ross Jaques was fifth over 60 for Clayton.

In the over 40 grouping it was Horwich who took team honours with Darwen's Graham Schofield their second counter.

At the head of the pack, defending English Champion Ian Holmes just shaded Bingley team mate Robb Jebb, the man who has three times won the full Tour of Pendle.

Competing in his own backyard, Clitheroe's Steve Sweeney of Bowland Fell Runners was the first local in 26th.

Ineligible for the English Championship, Welshman Richard Thomas was 33rd for Darwen Dashers with Clayton's leader Mark Horrocks 36th.

Clayton Harrier Maureen Laney was the top East Lancashire lady as she won the third veteran prize. Silver medallist in the 2000 Vets Championship, Sue Becconsall was fourth after leaving Todmorden to join Bingley.

Results (Clayton Harriers unless stated)

Men: 1 Ian Holmes (Bingley) 63:55; 2 Rob Jebb (Bingley) 64:08; 3 Rob Hope (Pudsey) 64:17; 26 Steve Sweeney (Bowland) 68:59; 33 Richard Thomas (Darwen) 69:31; 36 Mark Horrocks 70:10; 44 (6th M40) Graham Schofield (Horwich) 71:09; 55 (M40) Ian Greenwood 72:45; 60 (M40) Boff Whalley (Pudsey) 73:01; 65 (M40) Russell Owen (Eryri/Darwen) 73:24; 66 Andy Black 73:26; 70 (M40) Geoff Gough 74:02; 74 Steve Clawson (Rossendale) 75:17; 79 Shane Fitzpatrick (Hyndburn) 75:34; 80 Jason Harbour 75:35; 83 Andrew Horsfall (Todmorden) 76:25; 84 Quentin Harding (Bowland) 76:26; 100 Gary Sumner (Rossendale) 77:32; 101 Andrew McFarlane (Hyndburn) 77:34; 103 Clive Davis (Bowland) 77:37; 104 (M40) Neil Holding (West Pennine) 77:42; 105 (4th M50) Ken Taylor (Rossendale) 77:48; 110 (M40) Lee Dowthwaite (Bowland) 77:59; 122 (6th M50) Jack Holt 79:03; 123 Chris Fishlock (u/a) 79:09; 136 (M40) Mark Nutter 79:58; 146 (M40) Brian Horrocks 80:40; 151 (7th M50) Kieran Carr 81:06; 162 (M40) Martin Brady 81:57; 176 (Junior) Tom Cornthwaite (Hyndburn) 83:01; 195 (M50) Ian Robinson 85:07; 295 (5th M60) Ross Jaques 93:45; 336 (8th M60) Ronnie Orr 102:12 Team: 1 Borrowdale M40 Team: 1 Horwich M50 Team: 1 Clayton-Le-Moors

Women: 1 (88th overall) Andrea Priestley (Ilkley) 76:40; 2 (95th) Louise Sharp (Keswick) 77:08; 3 (113th/1st veteran) Sally Newman (Glossopsdale) 78:20; 14 (223rd/3rd vet) Maureen Laney 87:34; 16 (240th/4th vet) Sue Becconsall (Bingley) 88:48; 21 (267th) Anna Kelly 91:04; 29 (307th) Alison Richards (Todmorden) 94:22; 30 (308th/9th vet) Jean Rawlinson 94:23; 32 (310th) Jean Pearson 94:30; 35 (327th/vet) Katy Thompson 96:16; 38 (347th/vet) Wendy Dodds 98:35; 39 (352nd/vet) Anne Fox-Kelly (Todmorden) 99:52; 43 (361st) Lisa Richardson (Blackburn RR) 100:56; 45 (371st) Andrea Barrowclough 102:38 Team: 1 Bingley