FIVE hundred runners lined up for the Round the Walls Race on Boxing Day but there was no catching Bashir Hussain as he clocked up his sixth win in the annual event.

The Stockport Harrier crossed the finishing line at Chester Racecourse in 24 minutes and 24 seconds, despite falling partway along the damp 4.5-mile route.

Second place went to Deeside AC under 20 junior Ricky Challinor, who went round in 24.40.

The women’s race was won by Wrexham AC’s Emma Parry in 28.35.

Gary Withers was the first West Cheshire AC runner home, finishing 11th in 27.30 and winning the male veteran 45 category. He was closely followed by Chester Triathlon Club’s Kenny Begley in 12th after putting in a time of 27.37.

Former West Cheshire runner Emma-Leigh Heighway, now a member of Sale Harriers, finished third in the overall women’s list in a time of 29.52. The first current West Cheshire woman to finish was U20 junior Kerry Riley in 33.50.

This year the course changed as the section of the walls which was damaged earlier this year was not reopened in time for organisers West Cheshire AC to gain approval, so runners were instead diverted along the canal.

Around 50 runners took part in the pre-race fun run with Deeside AC’s Daniel Jackson and Jamie Wright taking first and second, and West Cheshire AC’s Tom Booth and Kate Titlow third and fourth respectively.