ROBERT Barton set a new Northern Championship record in winning the under 17's 3000m title at Wigan last weekend.

The 16-year-old Blackburn Harrier smashed his own PB by an incredible 27 seconds to clock 8.42, 13 seconds inside the National Standard.

Lee McCash of Pendle has also become Northern Champion, taking a comfortable victory in the Junior Men's 5,000m whilst setting a PB of 14.56.

Catherine Riley, still suffering from a persistent foot injury, was a disappointed fourth in the under 20's 800m, but her Park High School team mates Kirk Lee and Jennifer Tunstall did well to qualify for their under 17's 800m finals. Sarah Willimott of Blackburn Harriers was fourth in the Junior Ladies 1500m, setting a new PB of 4.51 in the process and Victoria Rusius of Pendle set a PB too, logging 10.56 as she took eighth in the under 17's 3000m. Blackburn Harriers' Jonathan O'Dea and Michael Hammer also set PB's at the Championships.

At a meeting at Trafford on Tuesday, Liam Barton ran the English Schools qualifying time for the steeplechase, winning the race just outside his best time. Several of our local clubs went to the trophy meeting at Oldham, where there were trophies for the first three in each event. Eleven Burnley athletes shared 23 trophies including double winners Mark Hartley and Simon Bissell. Matthew Anderton alone won eight trophies as Hyndburn amassed 32 top three finishes. Andrew Charlesworth took three wins, including a meeting record for an under 13 throwing a cricket ball.

Trophy Meeting - Burnley Under Nine Boys: Aaron Flynn (600m 3rd); Under 11 Boys: KieronFlynn (80m 3rd); Under 13 Boys: Mark Hartley (800m 1st, 1500m 1st, 200m 3rd), Luke Bell (long jum 2nd, high jump 2nd), Mark Fenwick (high jump 3rd, long jump 3rd); Under 15 Boys: Simon Bissell (discus 1st, shot 1st, javelin 3rd, high jump 3rd), Jonathan Hunter (1500m 1st, 800m 2nd, long jump 3rd), Ian Sturdy (javelin 1st, shot 2nd), Simon Wrigley (javelin 2nd); Under 15 Girls: Jenny Haven (high jump 3rd, javelin 2nd). Senior Men: Shaun Windle (200m 3rd, 400m 3rd). Hyndburn - Under 11 Boys: Callum Fitzpatrick (75m 2nd, 600m 2nd, long jump 1st); Under 13 Boys: Andrew Charlesworth (cricket bowl 1st, meeting record, long jump 1st, high jump 1st, 100m 2nd, 800m 3rd); Under 13 Girls: Anna Griffiths (70m hurdles 3rd, high jump 2nd, shot 2nd); Under 17 Boys: Simon Pollard (discus 2nd, long jump 2nd, javelin 2nd, shot 1st, high jump 1st PB), Matthew Anderton (100m 3rd, 400m 2nd, 800m 2nd, discus 3rd, long jump 3rd, high jump 2nd PB, shot 2nd, javelin 3rd); Under 17 Girls: Alex Noblett (long jump 2nd, high jump 2nd, shot 3rd, javelin 2nd PB), Claire Lonsdale (high jump 1st, javelin 2nd).

Park High School - Under 13 Girls: Louise Dickinson (200m 1st, 800m 2nd); Under 15 Girls: Anne Smith (1500m 2nd).

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