AN impressive four out of 12 Radcliffe runners who took part in the tough Rochdale 10k came away with personal best times for the distance.

Neal Emmerson was first club member home in 38mins 6secs, finishing 15th in a 247-strong field, earning him points towards Radcliffe's club road race championships.

Ian Warrington was the first to record a personal best, clocking 40:20 to finish 32nd. 

Third for the club and 63rd overall was Kris Lee (V40), whose time of 43:41 beat his previous personal best by well over three minutes.

John Wrigley also had a PB with 45:47, while Steve Hamer (V55) ran 46:18 and Rob Lister (V50) was not far behind in 46:23.

Ian Hopkinson (V40) completed the quarter breaking new ground, lowering his 10k PB to 1:02:13.

The men's team was eight out of 28, while Sheila Jones was the top performer for the women, finishing second V60 in a time of 49:59.

Other finishers were Dave Bartlett 48:26, Chris Fletcher 54:11, Carly Rourke 58:05 and Tom West, who was first vet-75 in 1:04:15.

The men's team was eighth out of 28 teams.

Warrington was keen to improve his time further and dip under 40 minutes at the We Love Manchester 10k on Sunday.

He was successful, clocking 39:31 to finish 55th out of 2,020 competitors.

Alan Brown (V55) ran 52:20 and Karen Doherty (V40) finished in 59:40.

In the 3.1 mile Stoodley Pike Fell Race, which climbed from Lumbutts in Todmorden to the Pike and back, Paul Swyers covered the 699ft ascent in 27:59. He was followed by Mark Wolfenden (31:28) and Iain Harris (V65 – 38:19).

Radcliffe will host the annual Bull Hill Fell Race tonight (Thursday). The event covers 5.5 miles and 1,100 feet of climbing on the local moors of Holcombe. It is a suitable introduction to fell racing and entries will be taken up to the start of the race at 7.30pm.

Registration and prize presentation will be at the Red Lion in Bolton Road, Hawkshaw. Runners need to leave themselves 10 minutes to walk to the start in Hawkshaw Lane.