RADCLIFFE AC's Donna Cartwright took a fine 23rd place out of 82 women in the Greater Manchester Cross Country Championships at Heaton Park on Saturday.

In great conditions for cross country, but with some muddy sections on the four-mile course, she clocked 31mins 15secs.

Neil Emmerson was 30th out of 141 men on a longer six-mile course in 40:10, while an improving Dave McGrath was next home in 57th place in 43:37, closely followed by Ian Warrington in 61st place in 43:53.

Mike Kontowtt clocked 48:02 and Peter Warr 1:06:57, while the men's team was 11th out of 19 teams.

Among the women, Eileen Sharman clocked 42:50 and Karen Doherty 45:51. 

For Doherty it was a double race weekend as she ran the Northern Masters AC tough 10k trail race at Smithills, Bolton on Sunday, receiving a voucher prize after winning her vet-40 age category in 1:06:47.

Thirteen Radcliffe AC runners took on the popular Ribble Valley 10k road race a week earlier on New Year's Eve with John Wrigley first home for the club in 41:38.

The event from Roefield Leisure Centre in Clitheroe was on an undulating course around traffic-free roads in Clitheroe.

Chris Paxton clocked 44:36 and Mauro Rotondi 45:05, but it was a disappointing race for club coach Warrington when he went over on his ankle.

He still managed to run on and finish in 45:17.

Jenny Yates was fifth vet-50 in 46:57, Nick Barnes ran 47:34, Steve Hamer 49:03, Sheila Jones was third vet-60 in 49:54, Jen Entwistle clocked 1:01:25, Lisa Donnelly 1:05:41, Sarah Oxley 1:08:15, Lucy Dewhurst 1:08:17 and Rebecca Wright 1:10:14.

Doherty did the New Year's Day Awakener 5k at Whitworth and clocked 34:36.