It's been one of the most successful weekends in their history for the women of Pendle AC who have been dubbed the Sunny Team.

The seniors were competing in the Jubilee Cup Plate Final, the juniors won promotion in the McDonald Young Athletes League and Laura Finucane won gold and silver medals in the European Catholic Schools Championships.

The Plate Final, the club's first after 20 years of trying, is for the smaller clubs who don't compete in the UK league and the team had qualified via matches at Bolton and Rugby, making a big impression with the semi-final organisers who gave them their new nickname.

They have been together for several years now and there is a strong spirit in the camp. And in a typically, wholehearted approach they went away for the full weekend for the match in Bedford -- watching the Jubilee Final on Saturday, before competing themselves on Sunday.

They had commissioned a special T-shirt for the occasion and competed with hair sprayed in Pendle blue.

On the track they fought strongly, and against good quality opposition finished 7th of eight teams -- just missing 6th place by a single point.

In 17 events they didn't have a single last place. Their undoubted star was Vicki Gorton who set a club record 34.17m on her way to third place in the hammer, and she also achieved the club's best placing of second in the discus with a throw of 33.60m.

Victoria Rusius was 4th in the 1500m, while Ruth Thompson was 4th in the high jump.

The seniors were missing several under 17s who were required for McDonald League duty on Saturday.

One of them, Sam White, won the Track Athlete of the Match as the girls clinched promotion from Division Two, North West Central at Bury.

Sam won the award for her Grade 3 Standard 42.9 seconds in the 300m which was also a personal best. It was one of three 'A' string victories within an hour as she also took the 200m in 28.2 seconds and jumped a distance of 4.31m.

Sally Targett also registered three under 17 victories taking the 'A' 100m in a Grade 4 13.6 seconds, and supporting Sam with 'B' wins in the 300m and long jump.

Justine Anderton was another Grade 4 performer winning the under 15's 1500m in 5:22.9 while Emma Murray took the under 15 shot with a putt of 5.88m.

There was a club record for Eleanor Markendale in the under 13's 70m hurdles setting a new mark of 14.3 seconds, her second win came in the long jump 'A'.

Laura Finucane won the gold medal in the 800m at the European Catholic Schools Championships in Hungary. After winning the bronze medal at the English Schools Championships over the same distance, she was selected for the Home International, but had to turn it down to compete at the Championship. Her winning time was 2:11, while she set a sub 40 second PB in the 300m to take the silver.

This is the last year the Women's Jubilee Cup will be held, and the Men's Gold Cup will also be discontinued. Instead, the John Smith Trophy will be for combined Men's and Women's Teams.

Women's Jubilee Cup Plate Final -- Jane Hancock (100m 6th 13.4, long jump 7th 4.57m, triple jump 5th 9.78m) Fiona Corrigan (200m 5th 26.8, 400m 7th 59.3) Kirsti Wilkinson (800m 6th 2:24.57) Victoria Rusius (1500m 4th 5:02.88) Katie Trickett (3000m 7th 13:07.34) Ruth Thompson (100m hurdles 6th 18.24, 400m hurdles 5th 68.69, high jump 4th 1.40m, javelin 7th 30.29PB) Vicky Haydock (shot 6th 8.92m) Vicki Gorton (discus 2nd 33.60m, hammer 3rd 34.17 club record) 4x100m (7th 53.15) 4x400m (6th 4:15.84