KEITH Johnson's young legs were just fast enough in a desperately close finish to the Leyland 10K on Boxing Day.

The battle between Chorley Harrier Keith and Chris Mulvaney of Border took them over a minute clear of international biathlete Brian Cole from Darwen, and at the end only a second separated them. Paul Wilson of Blackburn Harriers was the third East Lancashire runner home in sixth, with Graham Cunliffe in eighth winning veteran honours for Clayton.

The first three veteran ladies were all locals. Janet Pound of Chorley AC won the contest by over a minute from Jennifer Adams of Red Rose who was also first L45, Jeanette Coleman from Chorley Harriers was third.

Result: 1 Keith Johnson (Chorley Harriers) 33.17, 2 Chris Mulvaney (Border) 33.18, 3 Brian Cole (Navy) 34.23, 6 Paul Wilson (Blackburn Harriers) 35.18, 8 (1st Vet) Graham Cunliffe (Clayton) 35.37.

East Lancs (sub 50 mins) Clayton: 14 Kevin Ingleward 35.56, 23 John Wieczorel 37.47, 176 Kitty Garnett (L60) 53.03.

Chorley AC: 17 Michael O'Donnell 36.57, 30 Nick Lloyd 38.51, 40 Eddie Reynolds 39.57, 41 Stephen Fletcher 39.59, 45 John McGinty 40.25, 73 (1st Vet) Janet Pound 43.19.

Chorley Harriers: 18 John Chaplin 37.05, 66 John McDonald 52.30, 83 William Smith 44.12, 100 (3rd Vet) Jeanette Coleman 45.58, 114 Lisa Unsworth 46.40, 146 Daryl Peter 49.45, S Mason 49.48.

West Pennine: 22 Neil Holden 37.44, Sheila Fogg 52.14, Peter Demaine 42.38, Ken Sibbering 53.46.

Pendle AC: 49 John Rusius 40.51.

Red Rose RR: (89 2nd Vet) Jennifer Adams 44.45, 153 Richard Packer (M65) 50.31.

Accrington RR: 133 Harry Haseley 48.20, 139 B Mizon 49.09.

Blackburn RR: 140 Sandra Snape 49.22.

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