TWO Radcliffe runners battled grim weather in the challenging Lakeland 50 with Ian Warrington finishing a fine 35th place in 9hrs 33mins.

The popular event in the Lake District is billed as one of the greatest running and walking challenges in Europe and has almost 10,000 feet of climbing on its tough route.

Last Saturday keen ultra runner Sarah Oxley also showed her determination to keep going when she ran 19:22:00 – well within the 24 hour cut-off time.

Warrington said: "I am happy with that when it was pretty much eight hours of rain and gales.”

The route took competitors from the Northern end of Ullswater within the Dalemain Estate to Kentmere, Ambleside and Langdale amongst other places before a climb and descent to the finish at Coniston.

There were six manned checkpoints along the way and a medal at the finish for those who managed to battle their way through the testing conditions.

Dave McGrath had a good week on the hills when he came fourth in the evening Lee Mill Fell Race at Bacup, covering 6.6 miles and 1,000 feet of climbing in 51:40 and then ran the Turnslack Fell Race at Littleborough last weekend, coming home in eighth place in 1:11:57 on a tough course of eight miles and 2,000 feet of climbing.

Nick Barnes also ran the Lee Mill event, clocking 1:12:44.

Peter Hunter faced the wet to take on the Run Aintree Half Marathon, claiming 74th place in 1:43:20 in what he said were the worst conditions he had run in.

In the recent hotter weather, Vince Ashton ran the Lancaster 10k, clocking 54:39 and Karen Doherty competed in the Wednesday evening Northern Masters 5,000m Championships on the track at East Cheshire Harriers, coming second vet-45 in 28:50.