BECKIE Taylor has won a gold medal on her England debut at the British and Irish Junior Fell Championships at Bonaly, Edinburgh.

It came in the U16s girls’ race, where England quartet produced a clean sweep to win team gold. The four were covered by little more than a minute, with Blackburn Harrier Beckie fourth in a team entirely from the north west.

East Lancashire athletes represented England in each of the four races over the Pentland Hills.

But Rossendale Harrier Ashley Kay, who had been selected after winning the English title, was unfortunate on his international debut as he was forced to drop out of the U16s boys’ race with a hamstring injury.

Jack Thompson was the third counter for his country in the U18s boys’ race, winning his own personal battle with Steven Bayton by two seconds after they had tied over the season for third position in the English Championship.

The Pendle athlete was the third local making his first appearance for England and was 14th outright, but he missed a team medal after England finished level with Ireland only to miss out on countback. Emma Flanagan showed that she had recovered from her recent cold to help England U18s to team silver.

The Rossendale Harrier was sixth but with Scotland second, third and fourth, the hosts secured the gold medal. Scotland won the City of Edinburgh Team Trophy ahead of England.