There wasn't a daffodil in sight for this year's Roddlesworth Roller and junior Daffodil Doddle races from Abbey Village School the fixture had been postponed from its usual March date because of the blizzards.

Nevertheless over 100 seniors and a whopping 139 juniors must have deemed the wait worthwhile as they helped to swell the coffers of the Abbey Village Parents Association.

Course record holder and defending champion Neil Tattersall cantered home without any pressure in the six mile Roller, clocking 33:06 for a 90 second margin over former winner Rob Jackson.

The Horwich man won the over-40 veteran class while clubmate Graham Schofield from Darwen won the over- 50s with third outright in 35:10.

Rossendale's Thornton Taylor in sixth won the over-45s with ninth placed Evan Cook first over-55s in 37:03 for Blackburn Harriers.

Vanessa Peacock, was an easy winner of the women's race, the over-50s veteran was 24th in exactly 41 minutes as Jackie Shaw in fourth headed Darwen Dashers' winning women's team.

Nathan Riding, Robbie Schofield and Joe Basquill gave Hyndburn Athletic Club a 1-2-3 finish in the Doddle with 16-year-old Nathan clocking 10:14 over the two mile multi-terrain course.

Like Joe, Leigh Lennon was competing just a day after the English School's Champ-ionship yet she won for the fourth time.

The Hyndburn 15-year-old has one year left before leaving the junior ranks and has Lisa Richardson's record of five victories in her sights.

Lennon recorded 11:36 and was chased home by Blackburn Harrier sisters Beckie and Melanie Taylor.

Roddlesworth Race Director Terry Dickenson of Chorley Athletic Club is one of the unsung heroes of local athletics. He has just come to the end of a busy season with the last of four "On the Run" Chorley Park 5K races taking place last Friday evening.

Dickenson was rewarded with a terrific climax to the series as Tattersall and Rick Hayman entered the last race level pegging.

After the pair had run the first lap of the Astley Park circuit together, Sale's Hayman raised the pace on the second to break the Pendle man with a magnificent time of 15:55, only seven seconds outside the course record.

Each man won two races, but Tattersall's fourth place in the opener ultimately cost him the title.

The women's race was a repeat of the last round with Sarah Ridehalgh of Accrington Road Runners just clear of Peacock, but with neither completing the series, Dianne Wall of Wigan is likely to be declared the winner.