ATHLETICS: VALE Royal AC's annual 'Pie and Peas' race at Moulton topped the menu for 180 runners on Wednesday.
The entry for the five-mile multi-terrain race was up on previous years, but not the standard with all course records safe.
Winner was Sale Harriers' Ian Weatherall, a Mid Cheshire-based policeman, whose immediate challenge in sequence came from Dominic Mahon (Warrington), Bernie Jones (Wrexham) and Vale Royal's own Andy Ellis.
Next best Vale Royal runners were Gareth Williams 7th, Graham Miles 11th and Peter Maher 12th.
First woman was Alison Hartop (Macclesfield), who came under greatest pressure from Vale Royal's Karen Ellison. Beth Carter was fourth, Jane Campion seventh and Penny Thorn 10th.
The high positions of Ellis and Ellison, both juniors, was typical of the event.
Shaun McGrath, one of the organisers, said: 'At a time when most runners seem to be vets or approaching veteran age, in both winning teams, half were juniors.
'We were at about maximum numbers, the course would not be suitable for any more.'
Warrington won the men's team prize, Vale Royal the women's.
