Emma Flanagan will be thinking international competition is a breeze after winning gold and bronze medals on her England debut.

Flanagan, who runs for Rossendale Harriers, was taking part in the Marco Germanetto Memorial Fell Race at Susa in Italy.

She has first hand experience of the race as she was the travelling reserve last year, but now 12 months on, at 16-years-old, she showed a marked improvement from 10th to third.

Avdeeva Polina of Russia was the winner on a tight three lap course, which was mostly over stony paths, but with a steep climb on each lap. Polina clocked 13:59 to head the England pair Annika Jarman, from Lancaster, and Flanagan.

Their respective times were 14:21 and 14:26, and that is much closer than their previous form would suggest.

The third England counter, Rosie Stuart, was seventh in 14:49 and that sealed team gold for the England girls, comprehensively outscoring runners-up Italy by 12 points to 30.

According to her mum Kay, Flanagan would race every day if she would let her.

After returning from Italy, the student from Westholme School in Blackburn was soon in action again at the English Junior Uphill Fell Championships at the Arnison Country Fair at Patterdale in the Lake District.

The Fair hosts the Arnison Dash every year, but this is the first time junior races have been staged, and they attracted nearly 100 for the three races in six age groups.

The longest race for the U16s and U18s was less than a mile, but there was 315 metres of climbing, making it very challenging.

Following a lap of the show ring, it climbed up to Arnison Crag, with the runners having to contend with slippery grassy slopes, rocky terrain and narrow gullies.

Flanagan was second in the U18s, behind the exceptional Hannah Bateson, recently chosen for the European Championships, while Blackburn Harrier Rachel Searson finished fourth.

Phil Bolton of Rossendale Harriers was the U18 boys’ winner, although he was headed by several of the U16 boys, including club-mate Ashley Kay.

Kay had to settle for second after being beaten on the line by Tom Sessford from Keighley.

The largest field of the day was 41 for the U12s and U14s, and there was a winner for East Lancashire with Sally Searson of Blackburn first U12 girl to the summit.

Rebecca Flanagan and Megan Solomon were third and fourth for Rossendale Harriers as only Megan Stuart of Helm Hill spoiled a clean sweep of the medals for our region.

Best of our boys were Callum Davidson and Danny Walsh, both Rossendale, with sixth U12 and seventh U14.

Eleanor Solomon was the runner-up in the U10 girls’ race, and the three youngest Rossendale Harriers who made the trip all the way to the Lake District should be warmly congratulated for their efforts.

The others were Thomas Sumner, who was sixth in the U10s, and George Sumner with eighth in the U8s.