Commonwealth Games finalists Stuart Stokes and Helen Clitheroe were the winners of the Ribble Valley 10K Road Race at Edisford Bridge, Clitheroe on New Year's Eve, highlighting the quality of competitor that this event now attracts.

Sale Harrier Stokes has fourth and fifth places at the Commonwealth Games in the steeplechase to his credit, but this was no easy victory against Blackburn Harrier Ben Fish, the reigning Inter Counties Champion at this distance on the track.

The record field of more than 900 was already fragmented as the athletes crossed the Ribble after half a mile with seven in the leading break.

As the pace took its toll, the race developed into a three cornered fight as Fish forced the pace in the middle third.

Then Stokes and Altrincham's Matt Barnes made their move but Barnes soon fell away leaving Stokes trying to shrug off Fish.

The result was in doubt until the last half mile and only five seconds split them at the finish. Ben's time of 30:18 was faster than he had managed on the track this season and lifted him into the top 50 of the National Road Rankings.

The first four women all bettered 35 minutes, but Clitheroe, the former Helen Pattinson, was the class of the field.

For the third time she crossed the line first, and although 32:32 was her slowest time yet, the Preston Harrier failed to break her own course record by only 12 seconds.

Fewer than 20 of the men could match her as she advanced to fifth in the end of year rankings. Rotherham's Jenny Blizard was the runner up in 34:08 with local internationals Vicky Gill of Chorley Harriers and Pauline Powell in third and fourth.

Powell, backed by the leading juniors Rachel Searson and Alison Leonard won the team prize for organisers Blackburn Harriers, while the club's men - Fish, Brian Cole and Scott Monk - were second to Holmfirth Harriers.

Ted Orrell of Clayton and Northern Vet Bill Atkinson were the over 65 and over 70 class winners with respective times of 42:02 and 45:07 as the Clitheroe based Accrington Road Runner Jennifer Adams won the F55 division in 47:31. Kitty Garnett from Clayton headed the over 65 women in 57:29.

Mike Whyatt, Tony Chew and Pete Butterworth all made second in their class and Rachel Wood, Christine Leathley, Richard Lawson and Peter Dibb were third.

RESULTS Men: 1 Stuart Stokes (Sale) 30:13, 2 Ben Fish (Blackburn H) 30:18, 3 Matt Barnes (Altrincham) 30:22, 17 Chris Fishlock (Pendle) 32:29, 18 (2nd M40) Mike Whyatt (Garstang) 32:31, 23 Brian Cole (Blackburn H) 32:56, 25 Scott Monk (Blackburn H) 33:02, 27 Matt Nuttall (Blackburn H) 33:17, 32 Marc Hartley (Pendle) 33:46, 35 Andrew Stubbs (Clayton) 34:00, 36 Jon Bridge (Blackburn H) 34:02, 39 (4th M40) Andrew Hartley (Clayton) 34:14, 41 (2nd M45) Tony Chew (Clayton) 34:16, 42 Paul Bradshaw (Blackburn H) 34:17, 43 Richard Stones (Blackburn H) 34:19, 51 Paul Guinan (Blackburn H) 35:04, 52 Brent Hoggan (Accrington) 35:05, 53 Stuart Edmondson (Chorley H) 35:06, 62 Andy Buttery (Rossendale) 35:43 Women: 1 (19th overall) Helen Clitheroe (Preston) 32:32, 2 (38) Jenny Blizard (Rotherham) 34:08, 3 (40) Vicky Gill (Chorley H) 34:14, 4 (49) Pauline Powell (Blackburn H) 34:55, 20 (199) Sarah Ridehalgh (Accrington) 39:52, 21 (202/1st Junior) Rachel Searson (Blackburn H) 39:53, 26 (220/4th F45) Sue Burns (Clayton) 40:24, 30 (243/F35) Zoe Haslam (Darwen) 41:23, 31 (247/2nd Junior) Alison Leonard (Blackburn H) 41:26, 34 (274/3rd Junior) Rachel Wood (Blackburn H) 42:00, 38 (310) Cath Wilson (Rossendale) 42:43, 41 (315) Andrea Wainscott (Clayton) 43:02, 43 (322) Laura Middleton (Burnley) 43:21, 44(324) Janine Fallon (Darwen) 43:23, 45 (325/ F35) Joanne Haslam (Darwen) 43:24 Good for Age: Accrington Road Runners: 403 (61st F/ F40) Carole Morris 45:19, 482 (81st F/ 1st F55) Jennifer Adams 47:31, 495 (5th M65) Steve Davies 47:53 Blackburn Harriers: 75 (4th Junior) Tom Melody 36:35, 349 (49th F/ 4th Junior) Melanie Taylor 44:10, 444 (72nd F/Junior) Holly Robinson 46:21 Blackburn Road Runners: 602 (110th F/ F45) Sheila Marshall 50:33, 669 (137th F/ F50) Madeline Haworth 52:31, 697 (151st F/ F50) Linda Rusyn 53:44 Chorley Harriers: 92 (5th Junior) John Horrocks 37:03, 449 (73rd F/ F40) Nicki Rushton 46:26 Clayton Harriers: 68 (M40) Paul Archer 36:11, 72 (2nd M50) Pete Butterworth 36:25, 86 (M45) Dave Lord 36:54, 126 (M45) Kevin Davies 38:10, 159 (M50) Mick Green 38:54, 161 (M50) Stephen White 38:56, 184 (M45) Neil Garnett 39:28, 277 (1st M65) Ted Orrell 42:02, 290 (4th M60) Dave Scott 42:20, 351 (3rd M65) Richard Lawson 44:16, 428 (68th F/F45) Irene Roche 45:59, 695 (149th F/3rd F55) Christine Leathley 53:40, 728 (167th F/F55) Karin Goss 54:50, 797 (205th F/ 1st F65) Kathleen Garnett 57:29, 866 (249th F/ 4th F60) Jill Scott 60:38 Darwen Dashers: 87 (M45) Barry Shackleton 36:55, 147 (M45) Russ Corsini 38:38, 339 (47th F/F40) Jackie Shaw 43:52, 478 (80th F/F40) Cath Fox 47:18 Pendle AC: 475 (79th F/ F40) Dawn Richards 47:09 Red Rose Road Runners: 210 (M50) Dave Earnshaw 40:02, 431 (69th F/ F40) Anne Croft 46:00 Rossendale Harriers: 361 (52nd F/ F35) Davina Raidy 44:30 West Pennine: 90 (M45) Neil Holding 37:03, 702 (156th F/F50) Dot Shorrock 53:48 Others: 394 (1st M70) Bill Atkinson (Northern Vets) 45:07, 561 (3rd M70) Peter Dibb (Longwood) 49:28