In its heyday, the Capricorn long-distance orienteering event attracted more than 800 entries and was held over two days with an overnight camp.

Such were the distances involved that competitors could be out for several hours each day.

Organised by Pendle Forest Orienteers, it took place in a different location each year – anywhere from Perthshire to South Wales.

After originating in the 1970s, it fell into gradual decline and by 2007, when it was last run as a two-day event, there were less than 300 – and it failed to cover its costs.

Now it has been re-launched by John Ashton and the PFO club with a much simpler format of a three-hour score event where competitors have to visit as many checkpoints as possible within the permitted time limit, and get back to base before time penalties kick in.

The first ‘new’ Capricorn started and finishing at Barley Village, taking in Pendle Hill and the surrounding areas.

Controls varied from obvious spots such as the summit of Pendle to the obscure stream bend at Apronful Hill.

There were 30 checkpoints planted, with more points allocated to the less accessible or more distant areas.

Nobody managed to get all 30, with Bill Edwards getting the closest with 24.

Even without his time penalties for returning to base nine minutes late, he wouldn’t have beaten Tom Brunt from Holmfirth or Quentin Harding, the international orienteer who represents the South Ribble Orienteering Club and Bowland Fell Runners.

Both scored 445 points out of a maximum 525, with Brunt visiting 22 checks and Harding 21.

Both were within the time limit too, but the Yorkshireman won on a tie-break as he was the quicker by two minutes.

It took a tie-break to separate the leading women too as Emily Powell and Helen Ashton each scored 280 points and finished only a second apart.

Alan Hartley and Sarah Bruce were the winning pair on 335 points and the over 60 titles both went to locals with ultra-distance legend Yiannis Tridamiss of Bowland Fell Runners the men’s winner on 360 points and PFO’s Wendy Crawford-Smith chalking up 180.

l All the proceeds are going to the Neo-Natal Unit at Fairfield hospital.