ATHLETICS: Macclesfield Harriers' in-form fell runner Damien Nicholls won a three-race series after finishing eighth in its final round at Lyme Park.

The race, known as The Boar's Head, is a tough point-to-point course with 1,200 feet of climb and attracts a high-class field of runners.

This latest result increases Damien's lead in the club's fell running championships, which consists of a series of races held throughout the summer.

Damien is currently leading the pack with 78 points, followed by Alex Johnson and Martin Cortvriend on 52 and 51 points respectively.

Mark Hartell - who won the Lowes Alpine Mountain Marathon last weekend - also turned in a superb performance at Lyme to finish second.

In the ladies' competition, Cecilia Greasley won the race by more than two minutes and led Macclesfield ladies to the first team prize, together with Karen Jones and Lyndall Loman.

Earlier in the week, the second round of the Moorland Summer Series took place at Tittesworth.

Again Damien Nicholls was the Harriers' first man home.

He finished in second place, followed by John Pratt in fourth and Tim Stock in 16th.

Macclesfield's sole junior, Nicola Jackson, finished 15th in the girls' race in 13m 52s.

Several of the Harriers also competed at the Wincle Trout Fell Race.

Tim Stock finished 13th, Martin Cortvriend was 16th and Peter Nolan came 24th.

All finishers received a fresh trout to take home for their supper.

The road runners have also been busy with the Buxton Half-Marathon, where Martin Platt finished 20th in 1h 27m 43s, Tim Stock was 33rd in 1:31.19 and Brian McFadyen came 39th in 1:32.37.

Meanwhile, back on the track, blue skies and sunshine made a welcome return for the athletes competing in the second round of the National Junior League at Ormskirk on Sunday.

It enabled Seonaid Murray to complete a very successful weekend.

At a schools meeting the previous day, Seonaid had set a new club record and personal best in the 400m hurdles with a time of 64.8s, ensuring her of a place at this year's English Schools Championships in July

And in Ormskirk, she set another personal best in the 100 metres with 13.6s.

Seonaid then went on to run in the 4x400 metres relay alongside teammates Kay Kirkham, Liz Wild and Kim McGowan, who set a club record with a superb time of 4m 13.2s.

Kim McGowan also set a personal best in the high jump with 1.40m. Macclesfield's male athlete of the match had to be Doug Brammer.

Having set himself a personal best the day before in the 800 metres with a time of 2m 13.1s, he ran very close to that time again with 2m 13.6s.

By the end of the day he had set himself three more personal bests, with 10m 04.5s in the 3000 metres, 7m 01.2s in the 2000 metres steeplechase and 22.73m in the javelin.

Doug was also part of the 4x400 metre relay team, alongside Chris Rodgers, Elliot O'Neil, and Stephen Campbell, who set a new club record with a magnificent time of 3m 46.8s.

Stephen Campbell also set a personal best in the 1500 metres with 4m 20.9s.

The next Young Athletes League meetings are on Sunday at Horwich (for the girls) and Bebbington (boys).