Accrington Road Runner Graham Collinge is the Lancashire Half Marathon Champion having finished the first Lancastrian at the Freckleton Half Marathon.

Graham seems an unlikely winner having recovered from serious illness a few years ago, and the fact that he is also over 45 years old, but he clocked 1:15:01 to place fourth in a sell out field of nearly 500.

Sarah Ridehalgh made it a double celebration for the Accrington club as she took the bronze medal in 1:29:06.

In fact Collinge left with two gold medals as age group awards were made.

Ted Orrell of Clayton Harriers, Dorothy Shorrock of West Pennine Runners and Red Rose Road Runner Carolyn Douglass were all age group champions too in the M60, F50 and F60 classes.

Derek Ashcroft of Darwen Dashers and Richard Taylor from Blackburn Harriers won silver and bronze in the M40 division and there was bronze for the Dashers' Linda Clarkson in the F35 class.

It was also the Northern Veterans Championships and Rossendale's Martin Lee took the silver medal with seventh outright in 1:17:40.