Heaton Park was the venue for the final fixture of the South East Lancs Cross Country League last Saturday with the positions in the races determining the final league places.

Once again the standout performance in a Bury vest came from Ethan Statham in the under-11 boys’ race. He simply ran away from the rest of the field, crossing the line 30 seconds clear of the second-placed athlete. Isaac Cullen ran strongly to take eighth place, with Rocco Hunter placing 12th. This gave Bury second-placed team. The club’s other finishers were James Tallentire and Ronan Parker, in 26th and 27th respectively.

Kathryn Wolstenholme produced another excellent run in the U11 girls’ race, taking fourth. With Isla Taylor and Mylah Collier, in 12th and 13th respectively, the girls matched the boys with second team place. Sophie Straffon-Finch was Bury’s other finisher, taking 21st place.

Noah Hallworth was Bury’s sole competitor in the U13 boys’ race, placing 17th, while Lucy Dent, pictured, ran strongly in the U14 girls’ race to place fourth. Ella Straffon-Finch ran well to take 11th place.

The final league places saw Ethan Statham placed as U11 boys champion with four straight wins, while Bury AC took second team. Kathyrn Wolstenholme was joint third in the U11 girls’ league and the girls won the league team title.

Jahub Purzycki took fifth in the U13 boys’ league and the boys took third team place, while Dent took third U13 girl and Agatha Wragg secured sixth place. The girls also took third team place.

Bury had six finishers in the Wrexham Village Bakery Half Marathon on Sunday.

Luke Harreld, despite having some misgivings prior to the race, ran well to place 112th with 1hr 17mins 35secs, while Callum Gaunt ran strongly to cross the line in 1:19:24 for 157th place. Paul Johnston was hot on his heels, finishing in 1:19:45 for 160th overall, but 13th V45.

Jordan Harreld set a new personal best of 1:21:45 to place 204th, while Alia Braithwaite produced an excellent 1:26:08 run, to take 15th female place and second V35. Paul Marshall ducked under 90 minutes with 1:29:03 to claim 397th.