Although Brown is maybe better known as a Clayton Harrier, he competes for the Blackburn club on the track, and of course it was on this surface that he set a personal best time in the 5,000m at this summer's Paralympics in Athens.

Brown presented Ben Fish with the Athlete of the Year Trophy following a year of uninterrupted success after returning from studying in America.

Fish has won on almost every surface - track, road and country - most recently on his home patch of Witton Park at the Mid Lancs Cross Country meeting. He is also well placed in the national ranking lists.

Young Athletes of the Year are Richard Stones and Katie Morris. Both runners have won Lancashire Athletic Association and Lancashire Schools vests during the year.

Morris has also won representative honours for Lancashire Colleges, while Stones won the Lancashire 3,000 metres title in a Championship Record.

Team of the Year was the under 17 girls who won the Mid Lancs Cross Country Championship and three out of four rounds of the Red Rose League.

They were presented with the Round Chase Trophy, which is over 100 years old and was originally a yachting trophy.

It belonged to club president George Kirby's grandfather before being donated to the Harriers.

2004 AWARD WINNERS - Senior Athlete of the Year: Ben Fish; Young Athlete of the Year: Richard Stones, Katie Morris; Most Promising: Peter Matthews, Holly Robinson; Most Improved: Andrew McDonald, Rachel Searson; Outstanding Commitment: Sophie Croxson; Track and Field: Paul Bradshaw; International Award: Matt Wood; Senior Contribution: Richard Robb, Sally Targett; Schools Championship Performance: Chris Hart; Veteran: Claude Peter-Thomas; Fell Running: Michael Hammer Road Running: Michael Green; Veteran Road Running: Evan Cook; Junior Squad Trophy: Aqua D'Amour, Samantha Potts; Best Cross Country Performance: Tom Cornthwaite, Emma Graham; Best Track Performance: Curtis Pearce, Pauline Powell; Best Field Performance: Ben Fox; All Round Track and Field Performance: Jerome Duxbury, Rachel Coar; Merit Awards: Michael Carr, Christina Carr, Natasha Peter-Thomas, Carmen Peter-Thomas, Melanie Taylor, Becki Taylor, Amanda Shepherd, Josh Robinson, Megan Searson, Simon Bamber; Junior Team Contribution: Daniel McAreavey, Rachel Wood; Contribution to Track and Field: Lee Eccles, Adam Lovick, Rob Barton, Liam Barton, Paul Whittle, Carly Thompson, Jacqui Taylor, Claire Bamber, Nikki Kyriacou