Mearley Clough | Littleborough 5k | Churn Milk Chase

Todmorden Harriers had an excellent week with the men claiming three 3rd places, and Sarah May claiming an outright win for the ladies.

The club’s Fell Championship visited Pendle Hill for the Mearley Clough Fell Race on Tuesday evening. The 3.5mile race features 1200 feet of climb as it ascends from the village of Worston on the north side of the hill. A fast dash across fields led to a steep climb up to the Scout Cairn. After a flat traverse along the top, runners plunged back down the hill to the finish back at the village.

Clayton le Moors Andy Brown took the win in 31:11 with Todmorden’s Andrew Wrench in 3rd, just behind Wharfedale’s Jack Smith. Nick Barber continued his recent run of fine form with 9th position. Sarah May also had an excellent run to comfortably win the ladies race in 36:23, with Jane Leonard finishing 5th lady.


At the same time on Tuesday, Jon Wright also clinched 3rd place at the Geoff Doggett 5k in Littleborough. D Luckett of Salford won in a time of 16:14 after establishing an early lead as the race travelled towards Rochdale and then through Smithy Bridge to Hollingworth Lake.

Salford had put out a strong showing in the race eventually taking five of the first seven places and despite lying in 4th place as the runners turned for home from the lake, Wright managed to gain a place in the push for the line, narrowly missing out on 2nd place. Mel Siddall was the first of three Todmorden ladies in a time of 22:43, with Mandy Goth in 26:13 and Myra Wells in 27:50. Jon Newby finished 2nd V75 in a time of 38:12.


Sean Carey completed the hat trick on Friday evening at the Churn Milk Chase Fell Race at Midgley above Mythomlroyd. Starting from the recreation ground the 3.8mile race picked its way out of the village to join the Calderdale Way climbing up 700 feet, around the landmark Churn Milk Joan standing stone, then across to Crow Hill and back down.

Karl Grey of Calder Valley won in a time of 22:28, in a race where Calder Valley took five of the first seven places. The coincidences to the earlier race continued as Carey was lying in 4th place at the standing stone behind James Logue and narrowly missed out on 2nd place to Gavin Mulholland. Andrea Marshall also claimed 3rd place for the ladies in a time of 36:39.