Rob Hope has finished third in the Weasdale Horseshoe Fell Race, but has lost his lead in the English Fell Championship to race winner Simon Bailey.

Hope, from the Chorley area, is this year's British Champion and shared the English title with Bailey in 2005.

The Weasdale at Newbiggin-on-Lune is eight miles long which for championship purposes is classes as medium length.

Candice Leah from Clayton-le-Moors Harriers had an outstanding run to finish second woman behind Sarah Tunstall while former World Masters medallists Maureen Laney and Lawrence Sullivan were back on song for the club.

Laney won the over 50 women's classification while Sullivan was first in the over 70s.

To complete a successful outing for the Harriers, Pete Booth was third over 55, Kieran Carr third over 60, and Katy Thompson was fourth over-50 woman.

Darwen-based Horwich Harrier Graham Schofield took second M50, Bowland's Mike Johnson and Ian Cookson were third M45 and fifth M55 and Ken Taylor was fifth M60 for Rossendale.

Jan Atkins of Chorley Harriers and Moyra Parfitt from Todmorden were third and fourth in the F60s.

The Great Whernside Race on October 6 incorporates the final rounds of both the English and British Championships.