RADCLIFFE Athletic Club's Neal Emmerson blitzed the field in the challenging Pendle Festival Half Marathon, beating his closest rival by more than five minutes.

On a course with more than 2,000 feet of climbing from Barley, he clocked 1hr 25mins 33secs, improving by five minutes on last year's time, when he was fourth.

Ian Warrington was ninth in 1:35:38 and Ken Smith finished second V60 and 41st overall in 1:59:13.

Saturday's race was one of five events run during the weekend festival and part of a testing double for Warrington, who took on the classic Kentmere Horseshoe Fell Race in the Lake District the following day.

The event is in its 42nd year and followed a now infamous course over 12.3 miles and 3,300 feet of climbing.

Conditions could not have been more perfect and Warrington did well to clock 2:34:45.

His double-header was part of training for the 48k Peak Skyline race in the Peak District next month.

Mauro Rotondi a four-strong group of Radcliffe runners in Kentmere and was first home for the club in 2:28:00, ahead of Paul Swyers (2:32:00) and Scott Baxter (2:34:30).

Chris Paxton was best placed of five Radcliffe athletes in the Wellybobs 10k Summer Trail Race, finishing sixth overall and second V35.

He clocked 41:30 in the event, which starts and finishes at Wellybobs Farm, near Darwen.

Other finishers

Dave Rushton (first V50, 43:48), Wayne Holden (1:04:20), Sarah Rushton (V45, 1:05:24), Bev McGrath (V50, 1:10:44).

Sheila Jones was first V60 in the Windmill Half Marathon at Lytham St Annes on Sunday, clocking 1:56:32.

On a course billed as flat and fast round St Annes and Fairhaven Lake, Mark Garner ran 1:53:00.

Sarah Oxley took part in her first triathlon – the Deva Devis Triathlon at Meadows in Chester – finishing in 1:56:54. secs.

It is a short-distance event for women only and includes a 750m swim, 25km bike ride and 5km run.

Oxley completed the closing run in 27:12, which was only four seconds outside her best time for the distance.

Five Radcliffe members joined a record-breaking field of 322 runners at the midweek 5.5-mile Royton Trail Race.

On an undulating course in and around Tandle Hill Country Park in Middleton, Dave McGrath was first in for Radcliffe in 26th position in 35:22.

Other finishers

Chris Paxton (41st, 36:31), Steve Hamer (V55, 42:23), McKenzie Madison (42:55), Lucy Dewhurst (1:03:33).

In the midweek Lancaster 10k, Vince Ashton (V45) clocked 51:44 to finish 115 of 231 runners.

Karen Doherty was first V40 in the recent Northern Masters 5k Championships at Radcliffe, finishing in 28:53, while Jim Rhodes was second V75 in 38:39.