Radcliffe AC’s Donna Cartwright showed her improving form when she was among the top three women in two fell races.

Cartwright took on the 4.5 mile Bamford Sheepdog Trials Fell Race, covering 4.5 miles and 1,000 feet of climbing to come third woman.

On Sunday she was joined by four clubmates when she ran the local Edenfield Fell Race, coming third woman again, and 31st overall out of a field of 56, in a time of 59mins 46secs.

Cartwright is also in training for the Coniston Marathon in July.

Although the Sunday entry was small, the revived event is becoming a popular tough fell race again.

It features a sting in the tail with its final steep climb before a rapid drop to the finish at Edenfield Cricket Club.

Windy conditions made it hard and finishing after Cartwright was Rachael Stoney, fourth woman in 62mins 30secs, a place better and faster than her run last year.

Steve Hamer (V50), who had run a midweek race, clocked 68mins 45secs, but the prizes went to the club’s women, with Kath Davies coming in the first vet-45 in 69:42secs and Eileen Royle running a gutsy 79:32 to be first vet 60.

Hamer had taken part in the six-mile Henderson’s End Fell Race at Rivington and covered the 800 feet of climbing in 57mins 45secs.

Vet 60 John Kirkham ran a hard rolling 10k course when he took part in the Badger Trail Race at Cuerden Country Park, South Ribble.

The first of a series of three, he completed the event in 52:01, putting him 83rd out of 150 runners and second in his age category.

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