THE Lancashire AA Track and Field Championship is the first major test of the season for aspiring athletes, and this year at the Stanley Park Arena in Blackpool, attendances were slightly up on recent years and the competition was exceptionally fierce.

Spread over two days, no fewer than 16 Championship-best performances were set, with Pendle's Anna Anderson and Sophie Hitchon setting new marks and Paul Bradshaw of Blackburn Harriers breaking two records.

Bradshaw was one of many students lured home by the pull of the event, and the 19-year-old University of Wales in Cardiff undergraduate set records on each day.

Competing in the Junior Men's class for under 20s, he clocked 49.1 seconds in the 400m, and was the only athlete to break 50 seconds.

Bradshaw is already the Northern Junior Indoor Champion in the 800m, and victory by over four seconds in his favoured event followed on Sunday in 1:51.3.

Blackburn Harriers won 22 gold medals to be our most successful club and there were doubles for Chris Hart, Luke Evans, Alison Leonard and Lucie Patry.

Pendle Athletic Club only fielded 16 athletes, but left Blackpool with no fewer than 20 medals, including five for Eleanor Markendale and four for James Blackburn. The two all rounders have recently won gold medals at the Lancashire County Combined Events Championships. Consistent Sophie Hitchon once again threw the hammer over 49 metres - within a whisker of her own under 17s UK Record - to set a record for this competition, and England Fell International Anna Anderson logged 10:38.6 to win the under 20s 3000 metres with another record.

Hyndburn's Mike Grime was the Clerk of the Course and enjoyed the excellent standard of throwing over the weekend, not least from his daughters. Vikki won the senior hammer and Lauren took medals in the senior shot and hammer, while under 17 Matthew Balkwell, who joined the club last season, won three throws medals in his first County Championship. Sprinter Stephen Sumner won the sprint double in the under 20s age group and Nicola Breaks added 20cm to her personal best as she won the senior triple jump. The recently affiliated Ribble Valley AC, which grew from an offshoot of the Hyndburn club, made a successful debut in this competition with five gold medals all in the middle distances. Under 17 Robbie Schofield and under 13 Lauren Westwell scored 800m/1500m doubles.

Kelly Hilton won the senior long and high jumps and in all took four of Chorley AC's six medals. Eight different athletes shared nine medals for Rossendale Harriers with just Dominic Walton leaving with two. Sharon McGuire won gold in the veteran 5000m. Meanwhile, Jonathon Kirkaldy was Burnley's star turn striking gold in the under 13s 100m and 200m.