SOUTH Lakeland runner Rob Jebb endured a torturous Saturday as he took on the notorious Bob Graham Round and set the second-fastest time ever in the process.

The Staveley athlete's time of 14 hours 30 minutes is now the closest anyone has come to the legendary Billy Bland's 13 hours 53 minutes which has stood since 1982.

The Bob Graham Round is a 66-mile, 27,000-ft circuit of the highest peaks in the English Lake District, with the only rule being it must be completed within 24 hours.

First done way back in 1932 by Bob Graham, the 42-peak round has become a testing ground for the supremely fit. Each summer around 100 of the most highly tuned ultra-distance fell runners attempt the 27,000 ft of ascent within the allotted 24 hours.

The route goes from Skiddaw to Moot Hall, taking in the likes of Blencathra, Helvellyn, and Scafell along the way.

Unsurprisingly, Mr Jebb was delighted with his efforts, especially after his decision to attempt the famed round was a spur of the moment choice.

"I was really pleased," he said. "Obviously I had drawn up a schedule and that was at a reasonable pace but I didn't know if I'd be able to do that with zero preparation. But I got ahead of the schedule and I'm just really chuffed.

"I had some good pacers with me to prove I'd been to all the tops – some really good lads who I couldn't have done it without, I owe a lot to them.

"But I think I just had a really good day and just enjoyed it. Obviously it was painful but I was just enjoying it going steady away and was never in any real difficulty."

"Many people have done that over how ever many years so I'm really pleased to have done it, and Billy Bland was there to see me finish which was really great."

Two South Lakeland women - Howgill's Heidi Dent and Ambleside's Lou Roberts - were in the English team that secured team gold in the Snowdon International Mountain Race.

Heidi (1-21-11) placed second in the ladies' race behind the Republic of Ireland's Sarah Mulligan (1-20-51) while Lou (1-24-27) was fourth. The men's race was won by England's Chris Smith in 1-05-47.

Dufton's Morgan Donnelly (1-34-47) edged to victory by one second in the Kentmere Horseshoe following a sprint finish to the line with Bowland's Chris Arthur while Helm Hill's Michael Ainsworth placed third (1-35-31). Howgill's Nina Walkingshaw (1-57-09) was first lady ahead of Ambleside's Steph Jones (1-57-44) and Black Combe's Rebecca Rooke (1-59-50). Pete Bland, who has organised the race for the past 41 years, has announced that he is stepping down from the job.

Settle's Mike Egner (41-38) was fourth and first MV50 in Saturday's 5.6-mile Warton Crag race which was won by Tom Cornthwaite (37-03) of Northumberland Fell Runners ahead of Josh Jardine (38-59). Ellie Maddocks (45.44), of Lonsdale Fell Runners, was first lady beating her team mate Claire Nance (47-32).