The summer sun met the winter calendar on Saturday afternoon when Blackburn Harriers hosted the opening fixture of the cross country season at Witton Park.

The Red Rose League has made one significant change to the rule book this year with the under-11s becoming part of the league and it was the host club that benefitted most with Blackburn's boys and girls both becoming the first ever team winners.

Sally Searson won the girls' race with only three boys ahead, and with Amy Moran from the unaffiliated Pendle AC second, third and fourth for Elizabeth Greenwood and Polly Pearse gave Blackburn maximum team points.

Bury's Ben Heywood failed to spoil things despite winning the boys race as Dale Allen, Elliot Guinan and Jamie Hauserman in second, fourth and fifth took team honours.

Callum Davidson of Rossendale Harriers split the trio with third.

In previous years the under-11 races have been "one offs" with no league winners at the end of the season, so it will be interesting to track Blackburn's progress as they visit less familiar circuits.

The club have certainly made a bright start with four individual and four team victories.

You could even argue that there were five winners as Emily Fletcher was second in the under-13s behind Shannon Johnson from the unaffiliated Leigh club.

There were rich pickings in the under-15s as Beckie Taylor, Lucie Patry and Charlotte Atkinson produced a clean sweep, and the boys weren't far behind with Daniel Westgate first, Anthony Hauserman third and Jamie Gallagher in ninth securing more team success.

Track star Alison Leonard was their fourth winner in the junior women's class ahead of club mate Katie Morris.

Competing against the senior women, Alison took third and was the highest placed East Lancs athlete.

Rossendale Harriers' under-17 women eclipsed Blackburn by two points as Emma Flanagan and Katie Ireland in second and third just got the better of Rachel Searson and Holly Robinson, fourth and fifth. Michaela Brolly from Clayton-le-Moors Harriers was first past the post in this one though.

Clayton added four veteran winners in the senior races with Kath Wallis (F50), Paul Archer (M40), Mark Aspinall (M45), and Barry Mitchell (M60).

Aspinall was the leading veteran with fourth outright in the senior men's race.

Three Blackburn Harriers were in the top ten with Matt Nuttall second, but with Lee Passco in eighth not yet eligible to count, Horwich were first team.

Chorley Harriers' Lynne Clough was the leading veteran in the senior women's race.

The over 35 was fifth overall, and the club's under-15 girls were second team after Madelyn Smith and Tammie Campbell completed in seventh and eighth.

Highlight for local rivals Chorley AC was eighth in the under-13 boys' race for Daniel Bebbington while a fine run from Hyndburn's William Moynihan left his team just two points shy of second in the under 11 team standings.