HYNDBURN AC is one of the region's most prominent track and field clubs, but on the road Neil Tattersall has been virtually their sole ambassador for several years.

On Sunday he put the club firmly on the road racing map when he won the silver medal in the Lancashire 10K Championship at Blackburn's Witton Park.

The race was a coup for Blackburn Road Runners who had been awarded the County Championship Race for the first time.

It was incorporated into their popular Europrint 10K Race which this year attracted 200 runners.

Local clubs entered powerful teams, and three won Championship medals.

Chorley Harrier ladies Joanne Kelly, Claire Goulden and Bernice Greenhalgh won team silver just shading Darwen Dashers Linda Clarkson, Sue Corsini and Sheila Gudgeon by two points.

North Fylde won the gold, a feat repeated by their men. Clayton were men's bronze medallists thanks to Lee Passco, Alan Clarkson and Jason Harbour.

The first two miles are uphill, and as usual the field was quickly strung out.

Wesham Road Runners' veteran cross country international Alex Rowe established an early lead from Tattersall and Steve Littler of North Fylde but Littler gradually lost touch.

Just past the three mile marker the road drops then rises steeply towards Pleasington Priory and here the remorseless pace of Rowe finally took him clear.

Although he tired in the last mile on a humid day, the race was already won. Tattersall easily held second from Littler.

Caroline Betmead of North Fylde successfully defended her ladies title on a course different from that at Kirkham where the race was held last year.

Linda Clarkson in sixth was the first local, but her heroics for Darwen Dashers couldn't prevent Chorley Harriers from capturing team silver as Joanne Kelly took ninth and Claire Goulden 11th.

The club's third counter, Bernice Greenhalgh was the winning F45, while Maureen Roberts won the F65 division for the Dashers.

Darwen husband and wife Don and Pat Ashton were the leading over 60's representing Northern Veterans. Since last year's race Blackburn Harrier Evan Cook has passed his 50th birthday, yet he took another top ten place winning his new age group.

Lancashire Champs Medallists

Men: 1 Alex Rowe (Wesham) 33:48, 2 Neil Tattersall (Hyndburn) 34:30, 3 Steve Littler (N Fylde) 34:54 Teams: 1 N Fylde 15, 2 Wesham 43, 3 Clayton 50 (Lee Passco, Alan Clarkson, Jason Harbour)

Women; 1 Caroline Betmead (N Fylde) 41:10, 2 Andrea Smith (N Fylde) 42:52, 3 Jane Hodgkinson (Preston Harriers) 44:28 Teams: 1 N Fylde 8, 2 Chorley Harriers 24 (Joanne Kelly, Claire Goulden, Bernice Greenhalgh) 3 Darwen Dashers 26 (Linda Clarkson, Susan Corsini, Sheila Gudgeon)

Blackburn RR Europrint 10K

Men: 1 (1st M40) Alex Rowe (Wesham) 33:48, 2 Neil Tattersall (Hyndburn) 34:30, 3 Steve Littler (N Fylde) 34:54, 5 Andy Payne (Rossendale) 36:03, 9 (1st M50) Evan Cook (BH) 36:59, 11 John Wieczorek (A) 37:07, 13 Andy Orr (C) 37:50, 14 Lee Passco (C) 38:19, 15 Michael Casey (RR) 38:25, 18 (M40) Alan Clarkson (C) 38:47, 19 Brent Hoggan (A) 38:50, 20 Steve Holden (CH) 38:58, 24 Derek Ashcroft (C) 39:05, 26 (M40) Mervyn Owen (A) 39:26

Women: 1 (40th overall) Caroline Betmead (N Fylde) 41:10, 2 (60th/1st F35) Andrea Smith (N Fylde) 42:52, 3 (61st) Carmen Anthony (Belle Vue) 43:06, 6 (79th) Linda Clarkson (D) 44:43, 9 (88th) Joanne Kelly (CH) 45:28, 10 (96th/3rd F35) Yvonne Boocock (D) 46:18, 11 (100th/F35) Claire Goulden (CH) 46:33, 12 (104th/F35) Sandra Snape (Blackburn RR) 46:51, 13 (107th/F35) Sue Corsini (D) 47:53, 15 (127th/1st F45) Bernice Greenhalgh (CH) 50:59

Good For Age

Accrington RR: 112 (2nd M55) Harry Haseley 48:27, 133 (F35) Gill Craske 51:45 Blackburn Harriers: 46 (M40) Michael Blacklidge 41:59, 150 (2nd F45) Carole Kay 54:43 Clayton Harriers: 34 (M) Jason Harbour 40:00, 67 (2nd M60) Ted Orrell 43:30, 75 (3rd M60) Ross Jaques 44:33, 83 (M50) George Thompson 45:04, 106 (M60) Ron Hill 47:52, 126 (M55) Tom Targett 50:46, 139 (M60) Leslie Jackson 52:42, 160 (F40) Val Roberts 58:01 Darwen Dashers; 37 (M40) Dave Naughton 40:51, 38 (M45) Tony Hurn 40:54, 102 (M50) John Barnes 46:42, 137 (3rd F40) Sheila Gudgeon 52:20, 185 (1st F65) Maureen Roberts 71:55 Red Rose RR: 31 (M45) Fred Lynch 39:52, 50 (M40) Mick Nolan 42:16, 68 (M50) David Aspin 43:42 Rossendale Harriers: 35 (M40) Richard Stott 40:12 Other Locals: 57 (1st M60) Don Ashton (N Vets) 42:44, 128 (1st M65) Harry Catlow (Cumberland FR) 51:16, 166 (1st F60) Pat Ashton (N Vets) 59:25