A month ago, Maureen Laney thought her running career was over when she was diagnosed with osteo-arthritis.

But on Saturday she won the silver medal in the World Masters Hill Running Championships at Saillon-Ovronnaz in Switzerland.

The Clayton-le-Moors Harrier has won the age 50-54 class at the Championships in each of the past two years, taking the title on home ground at Keswick in 2005, but it seemed inconceivable even just a few weeks ago that she would even make the start-line this time.

She had only run in one fell race all year, the Anniversary Waltz in April which was an English and British Championship counter. She had so much pain in the knees, particularly on the downhill stretches, that her training since has been almost exclusively confined to cycling and swimming.

In August came the diagnosis she had feared. "I've done sport all my life" she said "But I thought my running career was over."

When she considered the options, she decided that the benefits of continuing outweighed the adverse consequences, and she entered the World Masters at the last moment with the knowledge that this year's uphill only format would be the easiest on her knees.

She ran the race with only three weeks training under her belt, but picked up a confidence booster on the way when she ran in the National Veterans Cross Country Relays at Sunderland. Clayton won the silver medal in the female over-35 age group when Laney combined with Sue Burns and Anna Kelly.

In Switzerland, she set off at a steady pace, but soon found herself in the lead, which she held until the penultimate climb when she "ran out of steam" allowing last year's bronze medallist Paulu Blanka of the Czech Republic to pass her.

At the finish of the 9.5 kilometres the two were less than 20 seconds apart with Laney gaining ground again.

The second English competitor was fifth placed Veronique Marot, the former London Marathon winner and British Marathon record holder before Paula Radcliffe. It was their first meeting since the Davos Swiss Alpine Marathon in 1987.

England won two gold medals, with Andy Wilton from Buxton in the M45 class and Horwich Harrier Mike Short in the M55s.

Several Clayton Harriers made the trip, meeting up with Mark Brown who was representing Gibraltar. Tricia Sloan, the Salford Harrier from Slaidburn, was ninth in the F40 race.

Results (Clayton unless stated): Women 50-54: 1 Paulu Blanka (Czech) 1:08:23, 2 Maureen Laney 1:08:41 Women 40-44: 9 Tricia Sloan (Salford) 1:10:02 Men 50-54: 75 Dave Farnworth 1:13:31 Men 45-49: 1 Andy Wilton (Buxton) 51:11, 29 Colin Shuttleworth 1:02:29, 34 Ian Greenwood 1:03:27, 63 John Roche 1:09:33 Men 40-44: 11 Greg Hull (former Clayton) 53:26, 12 Chris Smale (Todmorden) 53:30, 18 Mike Whyatt (Bowland) 55:43, 32 Mark Brown (Gibraltar) 58:55, 45 Garry Wilkinson 1:01:55, 59 Ali Welsh (Bowland) 1:05:30, 101 Morgan Tyrone 1:34:04