West Cheshire Athletic Club experienced a pleasing start to their track and field league campaign.

The Ellesmere Port and Chester outfit started life in the top division of the under-13 and U15 North of England Youth Development League with a fourth-place finish at Preston.

Many of the purple-vested youngsters achieved personal bests and delivered impressive performances at the first of four rounds to be held during the next few months.

Evie Tipping spearheaded her club’s charge with a double success story in the U15 girls hammer (37.44m) and discus (22.13m) alongside B discus winner and team-mate Emma Ashcroft (17.31m).

Stephanie Jones of West Cheshire AC

Tipping received support in the U15 girls ranks from Anna Crayston who clocked a 300m personal best of 43.60 seconds for second spot, Lauren Jones, Lucia Pyne, Tamsin O’Keefe, Abigail Cartwright, Ceris Gaffney, Nia Forshaw and Sophie Cribb.

Jodi Bemand (12.40) and Lara Battersby (12.60) combined for precious points in the U13 girls 70m hurdles, while Stephanie Jones (21.70) and Fatoumatta Bojang (21.10) teamed up in the 150m sprint, and Stephanie won a thrilling long jump contest in 4.24m alongside team-mate Ava Byrne, who delivered 4.03m for third place.

Lara Battersby of West Cheshire AC

They were backed up by Imogen Pughe, Carys Roberts and Isla Shillington, who secured valuable points from the 75m, 1,200m, javelin and high jump competitions.

Adam Howe (31.90m) and Daniel Pond (21.61m) teamed up for the U15 boys team that also featured Matthew Webb, Nathan Partington, Matthew Douglass, Isaac Tait, Harvey Tegg, Ivor Smith, William Wright and Dylan Bugg.

West Cheshire AC's Fatoumatta Bojang

Jamie Richardson (2:33.0) and Sammy Hollins (2:33.4) finished first and second respectively in their U13 boys 800m races, and they were backed up by Fergus Garland, Jake Lee, Ben Mustafa, Regan Stubbs, Henry Robinson and Harley Shakespeare-Wetton.

Match result: 1 Sale Harriers 606.5 points; 2 Preston Harriers 487.5; 3 Leeds City 467; 4 West Cheshire 435; 5 Gateshead Harriers 356; 6 Liverpool Harriers 350.

West Cheshire AC's under 13 girls at Preston

Andy Carter celebrated a personal best time of three hours, six minutes 22 seconds at the London Marathon.

Carter was the first of six West Cheshire AC members who completed the 26.2-mile course in the capital, ahead of Ian Gloyne-Phillips (3:14:20) and Wullie McGarrell (3:17:08), who also both posted personal bests.

Keely Smith, who warmed up for the marathon by contributing toward a women’s team victory for West Cheshire AC at the Essar Chester Spring Five Miles Road Race, clocked 3:24:41 to better her previous best achieved at the recent Wrexham Marathon, ahead of Luke Ellis with a personal best of 3:29:12, and Dave Bish (4:55:13).