BLACKBURN Harriers road racing veterans collected another North of England title in the Northern Veterans 10 Miles Road Race Championships at Warrington.

The Padgate course over which the race was run is flat and fast, conditions were cool and crisp - perfect for racing - and the Blackburn quartet made the most of the situation.

George Woodburn and Eric Wilson led the pack, George eventually getting away from Eric on the last mile to place seventh in a time of 55mins 27secs, with Eric ninth on 55.48.

A similar duel went on behind them with Tony Wood outsprinting Chris Wood - relatives only in sport - to finish 13th, 57.56, and 17th, 58.21. This was a great team performance with all four running their fastest 10 miles times for over two years. It was also achieved against top class opposition, but leaving no doubts about the Blackburn superiority. Their points tally of 46 was clearly too good for Sale Harriers and Wirral AC, joint second a full 10 points behind.

Individual honours also came Blackburn's way with George Woodburn second and Chris Wood third in the over 45 section.

The squad are no strangers to championship-winning, this success adding to the Northern Veterans 10K team title which was won by the same four runners at Clitheroe back in July.

For the Warrington win they will hold the 'Derek Howarth' Silver Trophy for one year, at the end of which time they will be quite determined to bring it back for another spell!

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