Blackburn Harriers have won promotion to Division One of the Northern Senior Track and Field League for the first time in their history.

They achieved the feat after finishing a close second to Bolton in the play-off final at Wavertree in Liverpool.

The highest ranked club in East Lancashire will now compete against teams from across the entire north of England.

Until four years ago, the men's and women's teams had competed in separate leagues, but in 2004 they were amalgamated with the joint team being placed in the new second division.

Every year since, they have finished first or second, but the pyramid structure of the league with four regionalised second divisions feeding the top flight means that there must be a play-off match for the two promotion places.

In 2004 and 2005, the Harriers came up short, and last year the play-off was ruined by the weather and frustratingly they missed out again on a "paper match" based on the league results.

At the fourth time of asking, they have finally made it, and a thrilled Club President George Kirby claims that now they have greater strength all round, even than when the men were competing in the British National League.

He points to the emergence of the women's squad who were the leading women's team at Wavertree.

In 2003, immediately before they joined with the men, they were only in the fourth division.

Harriers team manager Tony Wood said: "This was a big day for the club and the culmination of a number of years' work by our athletes to move up to the top division.

"I cannot mention all of our athletes this season and today who have contributed to this success but it has needed a good squad to do it.

"With the young team we have, combined with the quality amongst our seniors, we hope to stay there and consolidate over the next few years.

"I want to thank all the coaches for their work at the club and if I was to single out one individual it would have to be our track and field captain Claude Peter-Thomas who is not only a fine athlete but an inspiration to all the team."

Reporting from Liverpool, Wood said that there was no knowing the final result on Saturday until both leading teams pulled away two thirds through the meet.

At one point, Blackburn had a 26 point lead after a fantastic set of wins on the track mid-way through the afternoon.

This rich vein of form came with wins in the steeplechase for Ben Fish and Aaron Hargreaves and both the men's and women's high hurdles in the shape of multi-eventers Sarah Haworth, Christina Carr, Paul Whittle, and Claude Peter-Thomas.

The hurdles wins were much to the delight of coach Bob Groves watching from the stand.

The Harriers, gathered at both ends of a crowded stadium, erupted with shouts and cheers as the scores were announced and promotion suddenly became a live prospect.

Bolton were always gong to be strong having won the National Plate the week before but Blackburn, despite notable absences, were not going to let this chance go.

Early on, good points were earned by club record holder Holly Bleasdale and Toni Aldridge in the pole vault, backed by Abby Edmundson in the 400m hurdles.

This was followed up by dominant wins for World Youth games silver medallist Alison Leonard in the 800m and 400m - a fitting finale to the season according to her coach Arthur Almond.

In the throws, injuries to stalwarts Mark Birchall and Alf Oddie were being patched up by the club's travelling masseur during the day with so much success that Birchall took second in the men's javelin with a final crucial throw over 50 metres.

Sarah Henton, Blackburn's top thrower, was vital in amassing the points on the field backed by Becki McElroy in the shot and discus.

To add to that, Carmen Peter-Thomas won the triple jump and the B string high jump at an important time towards the end.

Back on the track, Rachel Wood doubled up in the 1500m and 3000m hauling in the points, as did Paul Bradshaw.

He is currently the club's top middle distance prospect and showed big commitment by travelling from Cardiff to win the B 800m and the A 400m as well as scoring vital points in the 200m and both relays.

The day was rounded off with fell international Tom Cornthwaite winning the 5000m convincingly.