The Pendle and Burnley Grand Prix has returned with a final flourish following the summer break with the last four races being crammed into a week and a half.

At the break, Paul Guinan and Andy Stubbs were locked in battle for the men's title, and even though Clayton's Stubbs could only manage fifth at the Red Rose Whalley Nab Race, while Guinan was the runner- up to fellow Blackburn Harrier Aaron Hargreaves, nothing was resolved.

Stubbs hit back to win the Cliviger Six as Guinan tailed him home in second, but the title was finally decided in the penultimate round at Trawden.

The 12-race series covers all terrains from road through to fell, and distances from just three miles to 13.5 miles, so the champion is a true all-rounder. The showdown came on a course without the extremes, being a seven-mile mix of road and cross country which didn't favour either man unduly - and they didn't disappoint by going head to head at the front.

First to cross the line was Guinan, the only man to crack 40 minutes with 39:27 as Stubbs followed in 40:50.

With the best 10 results to count, and each man having missed a single race, it meant that Trawden marked the tenth outing for them both. Guinan was now ahead by seven points, and even a win for Stubbs in the closer at Worsthorne could not narrow the gap sufficiently as his lowest finish was only fifth.

With the issue settled, both men skipped the Worsthorne Magnificent 7' Fell Race and the race was won by Sean Bolland of Bowland Fell Runners who edged out Wesham over-50 veteran Alex Rowe by a single second.

The Women's Championship was only resolved on the final day even though former champion Amy Green was the class of the field.

Green wasn't sure she would be able to complete the necessary 10 races, but did so at the Mag 7 and duly wrapped up her ninth win of the summer.

Only Blackburn Harrier Pauline Powell had managed to stop her perfect record with victory at Cliviger.

The other two race winners were Victoria Wilkinson, at Pinhaw Moor, and Tracy Mitchell, at Kelbrook Fell, and Clayton's Mitchell went on to finish third in the series.

Clayton-le-Moors Harriers Sue Burns, John Tomlinson and John Singleton were the outstanding veterans this season, with Burns having been poised to take the women's title if Green had missed another race.

Sue was second seven times and third three more, and the over 45 veteran was never headed in her class, while only once, by Sally Malir at the Colne 11M, was she beaten by an over 40.

Tomlinson only missed third overall by 10 points, as another Clayton man, Gary Shaw, took the position, and like Burns the over 45 finished clear of the first over 40 (Paul Archer).

Meanwhile, Singleton, who is now in his fifties, squeezed into the top 10, while four over 60s - Peter Bellaries, John Amos, Brian Leathley and Kitty Garnett - all completed the required 10 races.

Series Results (Clayton unless stated): Men: 1 Paul Guinan (Blackburn), 2 Andrew Stubbs, 3 Gary Shaw, 4 (1st M45) John Tomlinson, 5 (1st M40) Paul Archer, 6 (M45) John Roche, 7 Neil Worswick, 8 (M40) Chris Shaw, 9 Kieran Mitchell, 10 (1st M50) John Singleton, 1st U20 Tom Martyn (u/a), 1st M55 Dave Hammer (Accrington), 1st M60 Peter Bellaries, 1st M65 John Amos, 1st M75 Brian Leathley Women: 1 Amy Green (Keighley and Craven), 2 (1st F45) Sue Burns, 3 Tracy Mitchell, 4 (F45) Irene Roche, 5 (1st F40) Dawn Richards (Pendle), 6 (F40) Jayne Butterworth (Skipton), 1st F35 Lorna Balmer, 1st F55 Karin Goss, 1st F65 Kitty Garnett