THE Jeff Norman Brown Wardle Hill Race at Rochdale is one of the best kept secrets of the fell running world.

Organiser Andy O'Sullivan has been promoting the five-miler on Bank Holiday Monday for a couple of years now, but because it hasn't been included in the FRA Calendar, it isn't well known - yet!

Accrington Road Runner Adrian Nicholls found the race on this page in last week's 'Whats On' and he was a major player setting the tempo of the race leading the first mile.

Horwich Harrier Chris Seddon pushed ahead to win in 33:47, but Nicholls held on to be the first local exactly a minute behind in sixth.

Rossendale Harrier Richard Stott was second Over-40 in 36:43, ahead of Allan Yeomans, of Pendle Forest Orienteers.

Todmorden Harrier Keith Parkinson also made the top 20 with second in the Over-45 class, while Sue Becconsall was second F40 behind women's winner Kath Drake from Spenborough.

Clayton Harriers, for once thin on the ground, took fifth in the women's race courtesy of Dany Robson.

The men from Accrington are currently enjoying renewed success with Nicholls, John Wieczorek and Brent Hoggan all locked in a battle for the Club Championship.

Wieczorek rejoined the club from Clayton Harriers a couple of years ago, while the other two are relative newcomers.

Nicholls, now 34, raced as a junior but turned to caving and pot-holing before starting to run again six years ago. Since then he has run and cycled but this year he has began to concentrate on fell running.

At the beginning of the month he had a confidence booster in the Heart of the Lakes Rydal Round at Ambleside, a Category A race which includes 3,000 feet of clmbing.

He finished sixth over the nine miles in 1:41:33 after contending with hot and humid conditions and mist on the tops.

Now he is training with Clayton Harrier Geoff Gough for an even tougher challenge, the Cafod Grisedale Horseshoe with 5,000 feet of ascent.

Nicholls has also become a key member of Accrington's back room team having set up the club's website which you can find at www.accrington-road-runners.

co.uk.

There will be another chance to run over the Brown Wardle course on Wednesday 18 September at 6.45pm when the Billy Duff Memorial Race is being held. Once again the venue is the Oxford Public House, Whitworth Road, Rochdale.