Ben Fish has returned the fastest time of the summer to win the third and final Horwich Jubilee Road Race at Rivington in decisive fashion.

Along with Chorley Harriers’ Night Races and the Haigh Hall Races promoted by Wigan Phoenix, Horwich RMI Harriers have been giving local runners Wednesday evening races almost every week throughout the summer for many years.

Blackburn Harrier Ben, the England International Marath-on runner, has been one of the biggest supporters of the Jubilee races in particular, and although this was his first outing in 2010, he showed no signs of being ring rusty.

He took just 24:27 to cover the two lap, five mile course to beat Matt Barnes of Altrincham by a minute and 20 seconds.

The third man, Richard Howarth from the home club, was exactly two minutes behind Fish yet his time would have won either of the two previous races.

Howarth went into the last race a point ahead of his team-mate Gareth Booth, who had won the previous race, and two clear of Blackpool’s Malcolm Eadie but with Malcolm taking fifth and former Chorley Harrier Gareth only managing 13th, it was Richard who took the series honours.

Eadie was handed the veteran’s award after winning all three rounds while Chorley Harriers’ rising star Tom Belcher was the winning junior both on the night and in the series.

It was his third winning Wednesday on the trot after also being the leading junior at Chorley and Wigan.

Clayton veterans Peter Butterworth and Ted Orrell were class winners on the night with Peter clocking 32:54 and Ted 37:21, but local women were few and far between with Chorley Harrier Dawn Atkins easily the pick with sixth in 33:50.

Winner Joanna Goorney clocked 31:54 and helped Wesham Road Runners to the team title while Horwich were the men’s team winners, a feat both clubs repeated in the series.