A GIANT field of more than 1,500 runners pounded the streets of Helsby, Dunham-on-the-Hill, Mouldsworth and Manley at Sunday’s Shell Four Villages Half Marathon.

Motoring to victory was Long Eaton RC’s Neil Renault, who clocked a gun time of one hour, seven minutes and five seconds. Stoke AC’s Michelle Ross-Cope took the ladies’ prize, finishing eighth overall in 1:14.03.

Cool and dry conditions greeted runners at Helsby Sports and Social Club, where the 13.1-mile race started.

Local clubs were well represented and hosts Helsby RC had 18 runners taking part.

Adair Broughton was the first man home for Helsby in 77th, clocking 1:23.49. Ian Landucci (1:29.19) was next for Helsby in 499th place, and he was followed home by club colleagues Steve Riley (1:34.22), Geoff Shaw (1:34.34), Edward Halliwell (1:36.03), Ivan Davies (1.38.22), Vaughan Edge (1:38.57), David Madders (1:42.49), Kevin Bell (1:50.34), Mike Searle (1:51.28), Michael McShane (1:52.35) and Gareth Boyd (1:54.53).

For Helsby’s ladies, Carol Shaw was home in 1:49.05, followed by Steph Charman (1:57.41), Val Ball (2:02.02), Sheila Ryder (2:02.34), Betty Grieve (2:07.47) and Melanie Minton (2:08.56).

A stunning run by Richard Webster saw him crossing the finish line first for Chester Triathlon Club in a time of 1:24.15.

Also completing the race for Chester Tri were Phil Townshend (1:26.39), Peter Brook (1:26.56), Gill Mead (1:29.39), Ben Birks (1:30.12), Andy Wilkinson (1:30.43), Simon Greenwood (1:31.51), Chris Hulse (1:32.15), Neil Pownall (1:32.20), Nigel O’Connell (1:34.44), Nick Rose (1:37.03), Terry Walsh (1:37.36), Dave Taylor (1:38.20), Andrea Mageean (1:38.35), Sean Kelly (1:39.00), Iain Murray (1:39.41), Peter Cobb (1:42.04), Simon Johnson (1:43.09), Chris Morgan (1:43.26), Janet Frost (1:45.02), Malcolm Sloane (1:45.10), Sophia Rees (1:45.15), Andy Penny (1:47.24), Steve Eastwood (1:47.29), Cara Fishburn (1:47.48), Jan Rogers (1:49.10), Elaine Eatwell (1:49.22), Nick Minion (1:49.28), Janet Taylor (1:50.37), Rebecca Holland (1:50.39), Simon McAllister (1:51.15), Keith Peek (1:52.00), Yvonne Ryan (1:52.03), Dominique Miller (1:53.12), Kathryn Chase (1:53.44), Susie Coughlan (1:54.44), Claire Sutcliffe (1:54.49), Grant Watson (1:55.12), Beverley Kew (1:57.09), Sian Peart (1:59.34), Mark Tabor (1:59.34), Alison Leavens (2:04.17), Amy Edwards (2:05.09), Adrian O’Brien (2:05.55), Sarah Guinan (2:05.57), Fiona Huxtable (2:06.39), Kim Mason (2:12.58), Colin Wilson (2:14.01), Emer McCarron (2:16.49), Claudine Gibson (2:21.56), Sian Williams (2:22.03) and Janet Morgan (2:24.03).

For West Cheshire AC, Andrew Clague finished 173rd in a time of 1:29.37.

He was joined by other West Cheshire finishers Andy Starkey (193rd in 1:29:56), Bob Benson (245th in 1:31:48), Chris Rhodes (248th in 1:31:57), Richard Batterham (321st in 1:35:09), Mike Perchard (398th in 1:37:17), Clive Donovan (410th in 1:37:31), Chris Cain (425th in 1:38:10), Wayne Brassington (417th in 1:38:32), Tony Kennedy (524th in 1:41:53), Mark Povey (684th in 1:45:58), Heather Reynolds (1,498th in 2:34:04) and Brenda Sharp (1,519th in 2:38:44).

West Cheshire’s Brian Beattie (697th in 1:46:06) completed his 25th consecutive Four Villages Half Marathon, just one week after his 65th birthday, securing third place in the over-60 age group.

The first two athletes home for Tattenhall Runners were Marilyn Kitching, who was 65th overall and third in the FV35 class in 1:22.00, and Andrew Gooda, who was two places behind in 1:22.15.