MEMBERS of Darwen Dashers celebrated the festive season with their Christmas Relay on Tuesday.

Always a social occasion rather than a time for hard-edged competition, the format encourages family participation as each team of four has to include a veteran, a lady and a junior.

Each stage started and finished at the club's base at the Lychgate at the top of Sunnyhurst Wood. The juniors ran a short road leg while more experienced athletes were sent into the woods. The club's fell specialists ran a stage around Darwen Tower.

In the spirit of the occasion, there were no complaints about the winning team including a second junior instead of a lady team member, and the consensus was that Adam Carrington, Philip Brookes, Vinnie Brookes and Julian Donnelly had thoroughly deserved their victory. Fifteen-year-old Camilla Sabagna running in her first-ever race, helped her team to second spot with help from Julie Banks, Michael Holden and John Sirkett, and the other members of the Sirkett family, juniors Naomi and Toby and mother Jo, linked with veteran Jim Taylor to take third.

At the presentation which took place during lunch at the Lychgate, all the juniors were awarded prizes.

Race organiser Gary Taylor has announced that following the success of the David Staff Fell Race, Darwen Dashers will be able to donate £250 to heart charity CRY in David's name.

Results: 1 Adam Carrington, Philip Brookes, Vinnie Brookes, Julian Donnelly, 2 Camilla Sabagna, Julie Banks, Michael Holden, John Sirkett, 3 Naomi Sirkett, Jo Sirkett, Toby Sirkett, Jim Taylor, 4 Martin Hurn, David Hurn, Carla Powell, Tony Hurn, 5 Dean Gudgeon, Linda Clarkson, Shane Gudgeon, Roy Ashcroft, 6 Kate Huxley, Mick Huxley, Gareth Taylor, Gary Taylor, 7 Ross Gudgeon, Dave Shorrock, Sheila Gudgeon, Nigel Dewhurst, 8 Daniel Liddiard, Dave Aspinall, Cath Kirby, Anthony Liddiard, 9 Hilary Bell, Maureen Roberts, Sam Holden, Gary Mitchell, 10 Kieran Moir, Mike Platt, Matt Donnelly, Nikki Dean, 11 Stacey Dawson, Vanessa Sabagna, Lizzy Heath, Mick Heath.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.