RADCLIFFE AC's Sheila McNulty celebrated her birthday by taking to the hills for The Hebden Challenge.

And the vet-70 was not the only one, with several club members joining her for the popular event in Calder Valley, West Yorkshire.

Billed as a challenge rather than a race, walkers and runners took on tough routes of either 15 or 22 miles which both started from Mytholmroyd on Saturday morning.

McNulty was pleased with her time of 4hrs 17mins for the shorter route, contending with slippery mud and snow.

Mauro Rotondi also completed the 15-mile route, while Peter McNulty was first home for the club on the longer circuit which has more than 4,000 feet of climbing. He clocked a great time of 4:10:00.

Also on the 22 miles, Fiona Lynch and Ian Warrinton ran together to clock 4:19:00. Kris Lee, Chris Paxton, Mike Cooke, Lee Cooper and Scott Baxter all finished in 5:46:00.

Also on Saturday, six members ran the South East Lancs Cross Country League event at Heaton Park.

In the under-11s boys’ race, Samuel Howard finished 10th in 6:36, while his brother Arthur ran 8:23.

Neal Emmerson was 15th in the men’s race in 38:40, Chris Whittaker was 29th in 41:08 and Nick Barnes ran 53:59.

Karen Doherty finished the ladies’ race in 47:24.

Meanwhile, Lee Turner contended with thick fog and snow underfoot in the 12.9k Hoofstones fell race in Todmorden. In his first navigational run, he completed the course in 1:32:00.

Four took on Sunday’s 10k Mast Race, a 5k up-and-down from Smithills Sports Centre in Bolton to the Winter Hill mast and back.

Kath Davies was first home for the club in 1:01:25 followed by Amanda Hey in 1:03:45, Zena Knowles in 1:10:35 and Andy Wheeler in 1:18:46.

On the same day Steve Hamer completed the Four Villages Half Marathon in Cheshire in 1:44:04. He was joined by Sarah Jackson and Lucy Dewhurst who ran together in 2:42:48.

Thirteen proved lucky for junior Olivia Whittaker who achieved her 13th personal-best time at Heaton parkrun, finishing first JW10 in 27:06.

There were also PBs for Jenny Yates, who was fifth woman in 21:08, and Stephen Birtwistle, who ran 22:32.

Other results: Chris Fletcher 23:12, Ben Darbyshire 28:17, Amanda Darbyshire 31:28, Lisa Donnelly 40:04, Sharon Peterkin 40:08.

Volunteering as tail walkers, Sarah Oxley finished in 1:16:32 with Lucy Dewhurst in 1:16:33.

Peter Hunter ran 24:29 at Bolton parkrun.