Candice Leah of Clayton-le-Moors Harriers has won the final round of the English Fell Championship to take the silver medal in the series.

The Ron Hill Great Whernside Fell Race is the shortest of the six races at just four miles, but packs in more than 1500 feet of climbing.

Candice clocked 36:10 to give her a winning margin of 21 seconds over the new champion Janet McIver (Dark Peak), while Sharon Taylor (Bingley) was third on the day and over the season.

Wendy Dodds was the winning over 50 in 44:41 to complete another stunning season.

The durable Clayton Harrier is the English champion in both the over 50 and over 55 classes and in each age band scored the maximum points total with four victories.

In the over 60s, defending champion Jan Atkins, from Chorley Harriers, had to settle for a half share of the silver medal after tying with Todmorden Harrier Moyra Parfitt. Parfitt won the bronze medal outright in the over 55s.

Clayton's second English Championship gold medallist, Lawrence Sullivan, matched Dodds by scoring maximum points in his class - the men's over 70s.

Lawrence, a bronze medallist in the World Masters a couple of years back, won for the third time this season at Whernside.

Pete Booth, yet another Clayton athlete, was equal second in the over 55s, while Rossendale Harrier Ken Taylor was runner up in the over 60s despite being too young to score for the first two rounds.

Taylor was fourth in the over 55s, Sullivan took fifth in the over 65s and Mike Johnson, of Bowland, and Clayton's Ian Greenwood, were fifth and eighth in the over 45s.

Clayton's Kieran Carr was fourth in the over 60s and seventh over 55, while in the team standings, Clayton's over 40 men and over 50 men win bronze medals.

Rob Hope, from Wheelton Village, was fourth at Whernside behind winner Simon Bailey from Mercia.

The pair shared the English senior title two years ago, but Hope will be satisfied with the silver behind Bailey this time around as he had already clinched the British Championship.

Great Whernside was a double header, and the final counter for both championships.

Hope ended the British Championship with seven points in hand over Rob Jebb, and was our area's only medallist.

Ken Taylor was fourth in the over 60s, while Clayton's over 40 men was fourth team.

l The Fell Runners Association Annual Presentation and Dinner Dance is on Saturday November 10, at the Castle Green Hotel, in Kendal. Tickets, at £28, are available from Pete Bland, 12 Danes Road, Staveley, Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 9PW. Or telephone 01539-821688.