Shaun Godsman and Simon Thompson began the Rossendale Harriers Ultimate Outdoor Mid-Week Series with first and second places in the Waugh's Well Race at Edenfield in June.

When the four race series closed at Loveclough with the Golf Ball last week, they were first and second again, to claim the top two places over the season.

In between, Karl Gray from Calder Valley won at Whittle Pike and Horwich Harrier Darren Kay took the Pilgrim's Cross, but neither went on the finish the required three races from four.

With the runners-up spot in the Pilgrim's Cross at Helmshore also to his credit, Godsman, from Todmorden Harriers, finished the season only a point off the maximum score while Clayton Harrier Thompson ended three points behind.

Andy Wrench was never beaten by another over-40 in his three outings, leaving the Todmorden man as the leading veteran in third overall.

Jon Ferguson, Josh Tighe and Andy Buttery, in fourth, fifth and sixth, battled to be first in the pale blue of the host club, while in tenth, another Dale athlete, Sean Molloy, was second over-40.

Only Pete Booth of Clayton was first in class in all four rounds of the Championship to win the over-55s, but there were winning scores for Mark Nutter of Clayton, and John Birchenough and David Dickson from Rossendale in the M45s, M50s and M65s.

Clayton's over-70 Lawrence Sullivan and Todmorden's over-75 Derek Clutterbuck each won two rounds in their respective classes.

All the races are between four and six miles long, with the final round being 5.5 miles with 900 feet of ascent.

It started from the Glory pub at Loveclough, between Rawtenstall and Burnley, and is named after the golf ball shaped radio transmitter above the quarry at the final descent.

The first three races produced three different women winners, but Jo Waites of Calder Valley made it two after her previous success at Whittle Pike, after getting home ahead of Pilgrims Cross winner Cath Wilson from Rossendale.

However, with neither woman completing a third race, Sharon McGuire took the series with a second and two fourths.

Dale netted the first four places, with Heather Corbishley second, Clare Kenny, who also runs for Calder Valley, third, and Heather Parker fourth.

Waugh's Well winner Kenny was the winning veteran and Parker took the junior title. With Kenny an over 45, Julie Keys from Dale was the over 40 winner, Linda Bostock of Clayton was first over 50, and Dale's Gay Dickson took the over 60 honours.