Burnden Road Runners took over Leverhulme Park on both Saturday and Sunday as, following a club takeover at Bolton Parkrun, they sent 56 of their troops to the park again to battle through the Bolton 5k just 24 hours later.

The Grand Prix League kicked off another season with the 5k as Bolton United Harriers hosted the PB-setting course on home turf.

A looped two-lap course starting on the athletics track, it leads runners on a fast and furious adventure using Long Lane and the heavily trodden ‘out and back’ to then finish back on the track.

After the race was the prizegiving for positions awarded during the Central Lancs Grand Prix and Burnden members were proud to collect various awards for taking part in the league.

For the Grand Prix league, each local club puts on a race and members are awarded points for bringing their members to run. Runners can gain individual points and a trophy if they complete enough races.

In total, 56 Burndeners ran in perfect weather conditions, setting personal bests and gaining league points along the way.

Matthew Dewhurst was first Burndener home in an incredible 17mins 23secs, followed by Suleman Badat, in 18:14, and Lee White, in 18:56.

The ladies were led by Sarah Watton in 20:22, Lyndsay Darbyshire, who was first FV55 in 21:49, and Gwen Kinloch - first FV65 in 22:01.

Veteran kings and queens included Andy Dunleavy (first MV65 in 19:53), Anne Ferguson (first FV65 in 23:45), Mark Cannon (second MV60 in 20:20), Marcus Hamer (second MV65 in 22:01), Linda Doherty (second FV50 in 23:37), Stephen Horsman (third MV60 in 20:59), Francis Mackin (second MV75 in 26:28) and Philip Glassbrook (third MV75 in 29:33).

Other Burnden results: Tom Stratton 19:13, Martin Whitehead 19:31, Michael Kermode 19:38, Gareth Doherty 19:50, Lyall Mew 19:52, Ravi Patel 19:56, Ian Pudge 20:27, Martin Fielding 20:52, Andrew Crawford 21:38, Paul Willan 21:35, Adrian Ashburn 22:12, David Smith 22:23, John Simms 22:31, Martin Cullen 22:44, Lawrence McDonald 23:12, Vicki Hamer 23:13, Simon Marland 23:39, Ivan Brown 23:31, Mark Charlton 24:22, Mark Butler 24:21, Kathryn Baron 24:45, Gayle Gerrard 25:43, Andy Warburton 25:48, Kathryn Berry 26:21, Steven Bate 26:20, Emma Walker 26:41, Bernie Jones 26:43, Luke Newell 27:06, Carolyn Edwards 27:20, Nicola Halsall 27:28, Gillian Morris 28:47, Sarah Brown 28:59, Don Taylor 29:45, Anthony Fulop 31:36, Jennifer Entwistle 31:27, Joanna Warburton 31:47, Jordan Hulme 32:05, Andrew Parkinson 33:14, Sue Marland 33:25, Robert Bell 33:46, Gillian McGowan 35:47, Ian Mann 36:30.

Emma Walker was the sole club representative at the popular Mad-Dog ‘Bark-bie’10K in Southport last weekend - and she clocked 1:04:21 along the coastal route.

The annual race is one of the most highly rated in the UK and is sponsored by Jollyes - The Pet People. Each year has a different movie-theme inspired by our furry friends and this year was a nod to the huge success of Barbie.

A takeover was in progress early on Saturday morning as run director, Gareth Doherty, assembled his troops for marshalling at Bolton Parkrun.

Directing an army of volunteers to various points along the course, as well as to token scanning, timing points and to generally cheer like mad for the runners and walkers of parkrun, Doherty was on his usual top form as he made the briefing announcement at the top of the hill.

Despite a huge number creating the sea of black, grey and Burnden, there were still multiple members who finished a parkrun.

Results: Bolton - Marcus Chester 21:43 (seventh), Paul Duke 21:58 (10th), Martin Whitehead 23:59, Mark Jackson 24:07, Michael Caine 24:25, Rick Winnard 27:07, Ravi Patel 27:08, Francesca Caine 27:10, Simon Entwistle 27:38, Neil Counsell 27:57, Ivan Brown 29:49, Sandra Caine 32:54, Steven Snape 33:37, Paul Johnson 34:19, Julie Riddle 35:20, Jennifer Entwistle 37:23, Joyce Tyldesley 37:44, Cheryl Dunleavy 38:14, Carol Richardson 39:12, Gillian McGowan 58:05, Sarah Brown 58:53, Emma Walker 59:15; Grangemoor - Steven Walsh 23:26; Victoria Dock - Luke Newell 28:11; Cliffe Castle - Carolyn Edwards 1:01:14; Philips Park - Michael Kermode 23:39, Adrian Ashburn 24:04; University of Northampton - Simon Marland 23:54, Sue Marland 33:04; Oldham - Tom Stratton 24:24, Katherine Baines 32:40.