MUD, mud, glorious mud was the order of the day as the penultimate round of the Red Rose Cross County Championships came to Hyndburn.

A boggy Wilson Playing Fields was the setting for the third out of four race meeting where runners also had to cope with wet, windy and freezing conditions.

While it was visiting runners who took the individual honours - winning nine of 12 age group categories - local clubs demonstrated their strength in depth by scooping seven team awards.

And if it is consistency that counts then East Lancs runners have it in abundance with seven runners currently in pole position to take overall honours with one race left.

Ian Grime of Newham Essex Beagles was overall winner in 35 minutes 28 seconds with Peter Matthews, Rachel Searson and Philip Hall the only local runners to enjoy individual success in their respective races.

Blackburn Harriers all but swept the board in the Under 17s section with Matthews (19.03) and Season (21.20) first home in their respective races while the boys team, that also included Adam Hurley and Jamie Jordan, won the team award.

Philip Hall of Clayton was in eighth place overall in 36.51 to take the veteran title and, alongside Ian Greenwood, R Aspinall and John Roche, guided Clayton to the team prize.

M Corbishley of Rossendale Harriers was the first local runner home, finishing in third place overall in an impressive 36.17 - just 24 second behind the race winner.

Katie Ingham of Horwich Harriers was first lady home in 20.24 with Candice Leah of Clayton Harriers second in 20.44. Katie Trickett of Pendle AC finished a creditable sixth in 22.11 while there were top 10 places for Maureen Laney of Clayton, eighth overall and first Vet50 in 22.15, with Rossendale's Kath Wilson 10th in 22.38.

Rossendale ended the day with four team awards with the club's top markers first home in the boys under 13s and under 15s, girls under 15s and ladies veterans.

In the Under 13s boys, Dominic Walton (3rd), W Cluterbank (4th) and Daniel Walsh (5th) helped Rossendale win the team prize while club-mates, Ashley Kay (2nd), Jordan Beard (4th) and Jo Johnston (11th) did likewise in the under 15s race.

Rossendale's triumphant girls Under 15s team included Emma Flanagan, (2nd), Fran Gregory (9th) and Heather Parker (10th) while Sharon Maguire (6th), Davina Raidy (14th) and Tracy Ireland (16th) ran to glory for the veterans.

Blackburn Harriers second team prize of the day can courtesy of the girls Under 13s thanks to Beckie Taylor ((2nd), Naomi Thompson (3rd) and C Atkinson (5th).

With just one race to go, local runners could have plenty more to celebrate come the end of the series with J Bretherton of Chorley, Blackburn Harriers Beckie Taylor and Adam Hurley, Rossendale's Emma Flanagan and Katie Ireland, Burnley's Jenny Warr and Todmorden's Andrew Wrench all currently leading their respective age groups.