ROSSENDALE Harriers Mervyn Keys excelled as local fell runners competed with the cream of the country's runners at the first round of the English Fell Championship on Sunday.

Run in atrocious conditions, the nine-mile Noon Stone Race was a severe test even for the best as icy winds and driving rain lashed the Todmorden course. Winner Gavin Bland, who is a Lakeland farmer, said he had never seen so much mud and water, and organiser Brian Schofield who competed said: "If it had just been a training run I wouldn't have gone out there."

Keys, running in his first race as a veteran, was second in his age group and 17th overall with only two local runners ahead of him. Andy Wrench of Todmorden, the course record holder, took 10th place and team-mate Sean Willis was 14th. Clayton Harriers had four top 30 finishers including fourth veteran Mike Wallis (24th), Simon Thompson (22nd), Gary Wilkinson (27th) and Mark Horrocks (29th). Ken Taylor from Rossendale took fourth over 50, with Ross Jaques fourth over 60 for Clayton. With 350 runners jockeying for position, the race started quickly, and on the flagged approach to Stoodley Pike the defending English Champion Ian Holmes led his Bingley colleague Rob Jebb, with Bland third. They stayed together across the unflagged moor where conditions were at their worst with ankle deep water lying on soft peat. Back on the flagged course, Bland skipped away to win by 30 seconds from Jebb. Holmes, having lost feeling in his legs because of the cold was sixth. One competitor had to be rescued after falling badly, and another required medical assistance after the race, but only four failed to finish.

Results: 1 Gavin Bland (Borrowdale) 69.27, 2 Rob Jebb (Bingley) 69.58, 3 Simon Booth (Borrowdale), Mark Kinch (Bingley) 70.19, 5 Jim Davies (Borrowdale) 70.27, 6 Ian Holmes (Bingley) 70.42. Team: 1 Borrowdale, Veteran's Team: 1 Clayton (24 Mike Wallish 73.47, 43 Geoff Gough 77.19, 76 Brian Horrocks 80.44, 80 Jack Holt 81.02), 2 Rossendale (17 Mervyn Keys 72.21, 51 Phil Taylor 78.23, 66 Ken Taylor 79.49, 112 Thornton Taylor 84.42). Ladies: 1 Tracey Ambler (u/a) 88.19.

Local - Todmorden: 10 Andy Wrench 71.12, 14 Sean Willis 71.38, 36 Jon Wright 76.08, Marciel Hernandez 81.05, 88 Andrew Horsfall 81.59. 95 Paul Brannigan 83.02, 114 Brian Schofield 85.12, 118 Steve Branwood 85.23, 262 Sue Becconsall 105.53.

Rossendale: 86 Stefan Macina 81.47, 121 Barry Rawlinson 85.35, 168 Geoff Fielding 92.09, 267 Karen Taylor 106.16, 300 Linda Hannah 113.57.

Clayton: 22 Simon Thompson 73.31, 27 Gary Wilkinson 74.15, 29 Mark Horrocks 74.23, 45 Paul Thompson 77.35, 55 Ian Greenwood 78.46, 91 Dave Walker 82.29, 102 Kieran Carr 83.57, 105 Steve Taylor 84.23, Simon Clark 85.30, 224 Dave Scott 99.15, 246 Ross Jaques 102.00, 289 Wendy Dodds 110.03, 291 Brian Leathley 110.49, 295 Alison Smith 112.48, 303 Jim Whalley 114.14, 313 Ted Orrell 116.55, 328 Sue Middleton 124.29.

Hyndburn: 90 Andrew McFarlane 82.15.

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