BOLTON Harriers put themselves in a strong position in the first of the new four-event Youth Development League series.

The local athletes finished just behind the leaders at Cleethorpes with a string of impressive individual performances in the upper age group (under-17s-u20s) of the Northern Region’s East Second Division.

Demi Scott stepped up from u17 to come second in the u20s 100m in 13.4secs.

Tamika Carr won the u17s shot put and 200m, and was second in the 100m.

James Whitfield starred in five u20s events, winning the discus, 200m and 100m in 11.7.

Danny Welsby got silver in the 100m (11.5) and 200m (24.0), Dylan Mpofu debuted in style by winning his 100m and 200m races, and Chris Mann won the high jump with 1.9m.

Declan Toomey was second in the the u17s 3,000m and Matthew Walker strode to victory in the 1500m steeplechase.

All-rounder Tom Halliwell recorded 2:27.7 in the 800m and more than 10m in the triple jump, Jack Dickinson’s 100m (12.6), 200m (25.8) and 400m (56.2) were an impressive effort, while Aaron Stannard won the 100m in 12.2.

Welsby, Mpofu, Whitfield and anchorman Stannard outsprinted Bingley, Harrogate, Spenborough, Grimsby and Hallamshire to win the u20 4x100m relay, before team manager Bill Miller promoted u17s Halliwell and Stannard to join Mann and Welsby in the u20s 4x400m relay in which they finished an excellent second.

The second meeting in the series takes place in Middlesbrough in June, and the u13s and u15s travel to Cleethorpes next weekend in the lower age group version of the series.

Other Harriers’ results: Fleetwood 10-mile road race: Cath O’Dwyer (69mins 40secs, second female, 15th overall) , Shaun O’Dwyer (63:28, second out of 158 runners); Greater Manchester Marathon: Kamlesh Patel 3:33:25, Aidy Costello 4:15:02, Dave Huddleston 4:54:15 (new personal best by 57 minutes), Kathryn Healey 4:58:55, Heather McEwen 5:20:45 and Sally Evitts 5:40:30. Lancaster Three Bridges 10k: Geoff Knowles 55:06; 23-mile Three Peaks Race: Andrew Doyle 4:41:56.

Burnden Roadrunners results: Greater Manchester Marathon: Phil Eccleston 2hrs 51mins 11secs, Lyndsay Darbyshire 3:44:24, Beverley Walker 3:47:35, Steve Yates 3:51:20, Phil Holden 4:22:33. Hawkshead Trail 17km: Tim Taylor 1:38:02 (135th out of 212 runners). Three Peaks Challenge: Martyn Pollitt 3:57:55, Izzy Kneale 4:18:04.