A FELL runner from Blackburn was airlifted to hospital after falling during the British Fell and Hill Running Relay championships -- but not before he crossed the finishing line.

Father-of-two Jason Harbour was determined not to let team mates down, despite being injured in the 40km relay race in hills above the village of Edale in Derbyshire.

The 31-year-old from St Mary's Wharf was a mile into the second leg of the relay, an 6km stretch over rough, misty ground, when his foot slipped from under him and he fell heavily on to rocks.

But after the initial shock, Jason managed to get up and carry on, allowing his team, Clayton Harriers 'B', to finish 20th out of 120 teams in the race.

After crossing the finishing line in considerable pain, Jason was treated by the local mountain rescue team and taken by air ambulance to Sheffield Northern Hospital.

Examinations revealed he had badly bruised the ligaments around his right knee, meaning he will be unable to train for two weeks.

Jason, who works as a senior printer for Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council said: "I'd just passed the first check point and I got to a point where there were two tracks and I took the wrong one because it was pretty misty and I didn't know the route. "I came to a ford where there were two big rocks and I jumped across. I got my right foot on it but it went from under me and I fell about 4ft on to the rock below."

But knowing he had to reach his team mate, Jason picked himself up and continued 5km to the next checkpoint.

He said: "I really didn't think about it, it happened so quickly. I'm more embarrassed about what happened afterwards.

"It was really sore but the adrenaline takes over. I knew my team mates would be waiting to do the next leg."

When he crossed the finishing line on Sunday, an air ambulance arrived and took Jason to hospital where he was checked over by hospital staff.

Jason said: "I had one shoe on, I was covered in mud and had no money. It was the first time I'd been in a helicopter but it was all a bit embarrassing really.

"I really thought I'd done something more serious. I felt like a fake!"

Picture: Jason Harbour is ready to be airlifted to hospital, but the brave Clayton Harriers runner had still managed to cross the finishing line.