ADOPTED Lancastrian Andy Morgan-Lee won his first county title at a sunny Kirkham last Sunday, writes ANDY McALLISTER.

In the Kirkham 10K road race, which this year incorporated the Lancashire 10K Road Race Championship, Morgan-Lee enjoyed a decisive victory over Paul Freary (Belgrave). After the two had run the first three miles together, he accelerated to win by a minute.

Andy qualifies for Lancashire by residence, living in Clayton-le-Moors. Originally from Hampshire, he moved north last year and has just left his two clubs Southampton and Woodford Green to run exclusively for Salford. At the age of 30, he feels that his future lies with road racing and cross country more than on the track, even though he was AAA's bronze medalist in the 3,000m steeplechase in 1997. He is best known as a cross country runner and has three times run for England in the Belgian Cross Cup in Ghent and Brussels. Last winter he was a strong second in the Lancashire Cross Country Championships, beaten only by Dave Lewis.

On Sunday, Andy will be in the Lancashire Team in the Inter Counties 10K at Bradford. This is a race of national importance as it also incorporates the AAA's Championships, and four other Lancashire team members were completing their preparations at Kirkham including Chorley AC's Andrew Brindle who was sixth. Other East Lancashire athletes who won their age groups included Eric Wilson of Blackburn Harriers (M45) and Clayton Harrier Ted Orrell (M60). Alison Smith, also from Clayton, was fifth lady, Darwen Dasher Hilary Bell was second L35, and there were thirds for M40 Graham Cunliffe (Clayton) and M55 Harry Haseley (Accrington RR).

Results - Men: 1 Andy Morgan-Lee (Salford) 30.53, 2 Paul Freary (Belgrave) 31.50, 3 (1st M40) Alex Rowe (Wesham) 32.22, 6 Andrew Brindle (Chorley AC) 33.49, 12 (1st M45) Eric Wilson (Blackburn Harriers) 35.24.

Ladies: 1 Caroline Betmead (N Fylde) 39.44, 2 L Garner (Lancaster) 40.40, 3 Anne Sweeney (N Fylde) 42.05, Alison Smith (Clayton) 45.51, 8 Michelle Holden (Blackburn RR) 47.35.

Accrington RR: 38 Terry Robinson 38.53, 96 Derek ATheis 45.57, 112 (3rd M55) Harry Haseley 47.26, 119 Ian Wilcock 48.38, 127 B Milos 49.35.

Clayton: 40 Steve Green 39.11, 69 (1st M60) Ted Orrell 43.05, 84 Vincent Broderick 44.30, R Lawson (1st M55) 44.58, 90 C Doney 45.08, 150 A Bailey 53.41, 170 Val Lawson 57.37.

Blackburn Harriers: 45 George Davies 39.32, 145 (3rd L45) C Kay 52.52, 147 I Kay 55.12.

Blackburn RR: 85 Tony Martin 44.32, 161 Madeline Haworth 55.55, 187 Kathy Kumar 63.37. Red Rose: 141 Richard Packer 51.51.

Darwen Dashers: 114 Brian Tull 47.37, 146 (2nd L35) Hilary Bell 52.59, 165 Linda Clarkson 56.21, 166 Colette Morris 56.38, 181 Julia Rushton 61.00.

Chorley AC: S Swann 50.17, 133 K Brindle 50.25, 186 D Lanyon 63.21.

West Pennine: 163 Peter Demaine 56.07, 168 Granville Staff 56.48, 176 Ken Sibbering 58.48.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.