CHORLEY Harriers is a club on the crest of a wave and their recent successes have spanned the generations.

The town doesn't have its own running track, but that didn't stop James Bretherton and Alison Leonard from winning five gold medals at the recent Lancashire Track and Field Championships.

Bretherton won the 100 metres, 200 metres and 1500 metres in the under 13 age group setting a new Championship Best of 27.2 seconds in the 200m.

While Bretherton is a bright prospect, 16-year old Leonard already is moving to the next level. Her two gold medals at Blackpool were in the under 17s 300m and 800m, and her 800m time of 2:08.7, which put her at the top of the under 17 and under 20 national rankings, caught the eyes of the England selectors.

She was chosen for the England Junior Team for the Loughborough International, her first international recognition.

Leonard's England debut could hardly have been more daunting with all nine of her competitors being seniors at least three years older than her.

Jenny Meadows won the race in 2:01.99 with Leonard eighth in 2:09.19, only half a second off her best.

The start of her race was brought forward from 4.30pm to 2.50pm, but she wasn't informed and arrived at the venue at 2.30pm as planned.

By the time she had cleared security, met the team managers and collected her England kit she was being warned that she might miss the race.

She just made the start, but had no time to warm up. In the circumstances her performance was exceptional and future internationals should hold no fears for her.

Her next aim is a tough one: 2:06 is the qualifying time for the IAAF World Junior Championships in Beijing.

While Bretherton and Leonard were making their marks on the track, Jan Atkins has been starring on the fells.

Competing in the over 60 veteran class, she has won the first three English Championship races of the season, the Carding Mill Canter at Church Stretton, the Anniversary Waltz in the Lake District, and just recently the Lordstone Wainstones at Whitby.

With the over 60 women not required to run in the two long races in the series, there are just four championship events, with the three best results to count.

It means that she has clinched the English Championship with maximum points, and the Thieveley Pike Race at Cliviger in September will be something of a lap of honour.