RUNNING: SIMON Shields, of Abergele Harriers, won the Four Villages Half Marathon at Helsby on Sunday in a time of one hour 10 minutes 29 seconds.

Steve Littler, of Wesham Road Runners, was runner-up in 1:11:21 with Paul Muller, of Wrekin Road Runners, third in 1:12:33.

The leading local runner was John Wycherley, of Helsby Running Club, in sixth spot in 1:13:59.

The first woman to finish was Tracey Morris, of Valley Striders in 1:14:22, followed by club-mate Victoria Whitehead in 1:18:55 and Jenny Murray, of Stockport Harriers, in 1:22:38.

Category winners - Men - Junior: Mark Mitchell (Vale Royal) 1:20:34. V40: Mark Hall (Barnsley AC) 1:13:09. V45: Paul Muller (Wrekin) 1:12:33. V50: Jeff Mason (Liverpool Pembroke and Sefton) 1:19:32. V55: Alan Pover (Stockport Harriers) 1:17:21. V60: John Clemens (Stone) 1:26:12. V65: Ron Wooler (East Cheshire Harriers) 1:34:11. V70: Chris Hallinan (Leigh Harriers) 1:50:27.

Team: 1, Stockport Harriers; 2, West Cheshire AC (Duncan Bell, Paul Frodsham, Graham McNeil, Iain Wedge).

Women - Junior: Nicky Archer (Vale Royal) 1:36:04. V35: Kerrie Wood (Stockport Harriers) 1:23:36. V40: Julia Myatt (Newcastle, Staffs) 1:20:32. V45: Katherine Harvey (Altrincham) 1:25:48. V50: Margaret Brayshay (Abergele) 1:36:31. V55: Sandra Owen (Tattenhall) 1:39:03. V60: Valerie McWha (Widnes) 1:59:43.

Team: 1, Newcastle Staffs. Mike Frayne Memorial Trophy (first local runner): John Wycherley and Kathryn Roberts (Helsby RC).

West Cheshire's finishers were Duncan Bell 26th in 1:17:28; Paul Frodsham 27th in 1:17:31; Graham McNeil 29th in 1:18:05; Iain Wedge 32nd in 1:18:20; Graham Earlam 62nd in 1:21:11; Andrew Clague 79th in 1:22:14; Paul Price 98th in 1:23:41, Richard Batterham 160th in 1:26:28; Clive Donovan 176th in 1:27:06; Chris Rhodes 260th in 1:29:51 (pb); Mike Perchard 280th in 1:30:50; Brian Beattie 342nd in 1:33:13 (2nd over 60); Dave Crawford 355th in 1:33:36; Alan Cooper 366th in 1:33:55; Bob Benson 423rd in 1:35:21; Mark Povey 1:45:07; Charles Thackeray 1:52:23.

Justin Realff led Tattenhall Runners home in 1:24:41, ahead of Dave Ratcliffe 1:31:34; Mark Smith 1:32:11 (pb); Sandra Owen 1:34:03; Alison Smith 1:39:48 (pb); Andrew Thomas 1:40:03 (pb); Greg Berti 1:41:35; Lesley Arrowsmith 1:45:00; Caroline Howard 1:46:12 (pb); Paula Morris 1:49:00; Geoff Cornfield 1:53:00; Jane Woodley 1:57:12; Tessa Swaine 2:04:33.