BLACKBURN Harriers' newly crowned Senior Athlete of the Year Pauline Powell won the second round of the Mid Lancs League at Sefton Park in Liverpool on Saturday.

The fixture incorporated the nationally contested UK Cross Challenge, and the fields were even stronger than usual in the senior and under 20 events as it was the trial for the European Championships.

Liz Yelling of Bedford won the senior women's race to claim one of three automatic places for the Europeans while Powell in a challenging tenth outright will just miss out.

Against the cream of England's runners Rossendale Harrier Dominic Walton was 11th in the under 13 boys' race 12 seconds ahead of Blackburn's Ben McKenna who placed 20th.

Under 15s Robbie Schofield and Rachel Searson both earned top 20 finishes with Hyndburn's Schofield 17th boy and Blackburn Harrier Searson 16th girl.

Hyndburn prospects George Banks, Mark Starkie, and Hannah Topham all finished with the leading pack in the under 11s contest.