EAST Lancashire athletes lifted eight medals, including five golds, in the North of England Junior Track and Field Championships over the Bank Holiday weekend.

On their own, Pendle Athletic Club beat the region's return of two gold medals won 12 months ago with three victories and Wigan's Robin Park.

Hot favourite Laura Finucane took an emphatic win in the under 20s 800 metres, her time of 2:06.18 giving her a massive six second margin over her rivals, while under 15 Eleanor Markendale was another banker as she again produced a long jump well in excess of five metres.

Sam Crabtree was maybe more of an each way bet, but the under 15 boy excelled himself in the javelin with a Grade Four personal best of 34.46 metres to clinch the club's third gold.

All-rounder Crabtree backed up with fourth in the shot and sixth in the discus. Luke Simpson was beaten only by the English Schools' Champion as he took silver in a competitive 100m. The in-form under 17 added a fifth place in the 200m and his times of 11.16 seconds and 22.78 seconds are both new Pendle Club Records.

Danielle Walker was the only local athlete to win gold medals in consecutive years although she stepped up an age group and doubled the distance to 3,000 metres.

The under 17 Burnley star reduced her personal best by 10 seconds to 10:26.34 and the win will gain her an invitation to compete in the prestigious AAAs Championship. Although it was Burnley's only medal success, Abigail Ewart, Alexis Walker and Danny Eckersley all missed out by a single position.

Hyndburn's Curtis Pearce won the second bronze of his career by adding an 800m medal to the 1500m success he gained last year. Now at the top of the under 15 age group, Pearce clocked 2:06.7.

Thrower Lauren Grime made the finals in the under 20 shot and discus, her better result being in the discus, with fifth with 27.38m.

There was also success in the field for long jumper Mark Fletcher, the bronze medallist in the under 20 event with 6.25m is a student at QEGS, Blackburn and competes for Preston Harriers.

Club officials believe that Chris Hart has hit the top of the National Rankings with his winning run in the under 20s 2,000 metre steeplechase.

The Blackburn Harrier is once again showing his 2002 form when he won both the English Schools' and AAAs Championships.

In a field including the defending English Schools Champion and his main rival when he won English Schools', Hart left his opponents in his wake on the last lap, to stop the watch at 5:56.05.

Meanwhile club-mate Richard Stones missed a medal in the under 17s 3,000m by a second as he took fourth in 9:05.31.