Radcliffe AC staged their annual post Christmas trail race, complete with post Christmas Fun Run on Thursday December, 29.

It is an event staged primarily to raise money for charity and also to give runners of all standards a bit of fat-burning fun during the festivities.

Rochdale's Phil Williams won the main race, completing the five miles of rough, hard-frozen tracks in 24 min 26 sec. to hold off a determined challenge from Mark Russell of Bolton Metro Tri Club who managed 24.59.

Horwich's Robert Jackson was next in, setting an impressive pace to win the veteran's prize, while Michael Jones of Altrincham was best among the over 50's.

Salford Harrier Maria Lowe managed a classy sub-6 minutes-per-mile to come in 18th overall and win the ladies race, with over-40 Alison Sedman of Belle Vue Racers close behind, holding off East Cheshire Harrier Ros Dunnington and Horwich's Lisa Heyes - all four ladies finished within a minute, showing this to be a particularly competitive ladies race.

Under-14 Bethan Faulkner grabbed the glory by winning the fun run, holding off Liam Sutton and Aiden Adams.

There was a little concern before the start that the race marshals would outnumber the runners.

With only four pre-entries, and the realisation that this was a working day for some, support for the race looked minimal.

With 93 in the main race and a further 16 enjoying the fun run, things turned out to well enough to be accounted a success.

And anyone seeing Nikita Postlethwaite, aged seven, sister Letitia and mum Mary finishing the fun run, would have considered the whole thing worthwhile in any case.

Plus, there was a good sum raised for Christie's, more than £500 is to be forwarded, and this particularly pleased Tom West and makes his organising efforts worthwhile.