RADCLIFFE'S Sheila Jones celebrated her birthday by finishing first Vet 60 at the aptly named Piece of Cake 10k in Boggart Hole Clough.

She clocked 49mins 51secs on the course which, despite the name, is tough and undulating, and includes the infamous Angel Hill.

She was joined on Saturday by Jenny Yates who was first Vet 50 in 45:34, while Caroline Malone ran 56:15 and Kathryn Davies clocked 56:54.

There was another age-group win for Jones who joined Yates, Malone and seven other Radcliffe runners at the first of the mid-week Hollingworth Lake 5k series in Littleborough.

The fantastic results saw everyone securing a top-six place in their age group, while Radcliffe’s teams took second and third place.

Yates was first home for the club, sixth woman overall and second Vet 50 in 21:35.

On the flat and fast course, Paul Barrington ran 22:15 to secure fourth Vet 40 and Jones clocked 23:08.

Other results: Caroline Malone 25:21 (second Vet 45), Kathryn Prince 25:43 (second Vet 40), Deborah Barrington 26:46 (fourth Vet 40), Deborah Warrington 28:20 (third Vet 45), Sarah Oxley 28:19 (fourth Vet 45), Deborah Cliff 29:17 (fourth Vet 35), Lucy Dewhurst 31:32 (sixth Vet 35).

Three took on a river crossing at the picturesque Yarrow River Bluebell 10k Trail race at Chorley.

Mauro Rotondi ran 52:28 on the course in the bluebell woodland of the Yarrow Country Park, finishing 21st out of 251 runners.

Lisa Donnelly clocked 1:22:15 and Christine Berry ran 1:34:32.

And at the Hilly Bluebell Trail Race in Halifax, Sarah Oxley completed the 10.4 miles in 2:14:48.

Lisa Carter ran a personal best of 1:48:04 at the Cake Race in Saddleworth.

The 10-mile fell race has around 1,700 feet of climbing over the Pennines.

Mark Wolfenden was also in fell action in the short and sharp 3.4-mile Orchan Rocks Fell Race in Todmorden, running 36:27 after taking the wrong route.

Lee Cooper chose the tough Horwich Pool Triathlon, one of the oldest in the North West, for his first attempt at the multi-discipline event.

Not for the faint hearted, he completed the 500m swim, undulating 25-mile cycle and 5.5-mile run up to Rivington Pike and back in 2:32:06.

Deborah Cliff said the jury was “still out on trail running” after completing the Kentmere Trail 10k – actually 11.7k – in the Lake District in 1:45:04, while Elaine Bailey completed the flat and fast Liverpool Spring 10k in 57:31.