HOWGILL'S Peter Brittleton continues to improve and capped an already excellent year on the fells with a highly creditable 11th place in Saturday's classic Ben Nevis race, writes Mike Addison.

This gruelling ten-mile race up and down Britain's highest mountain attracts a quality field and Brittleton was rubbing shoulders with some of the best in the sport and was just 21 seconds outside achieving a coveted top ten place.

Another highly placed South Lakeland athlete was Borrowdale's Steve Hicks, of Windermere, who was 24th and fifth V40 while Ambleside's Gary Thorpe was 31st.

Bingley's Andy Pease led home the field of 361 runners and was just under a minute ahead of Borrowdale's Simon Booth clocking

1-29-41.

Lochaber's David Rodgers was third followed home by Bingley's Ian Holmes and Borrowdale's Jonny Bland.

The winning lady was Ilkley's Andrea Priestley (1-52-55) who finished 38th competing in her first Ben Nevis race.

RESULTS: 1 A Pease, Bingley, 1-29-41; 2 S Booth, Borrowdale, 1-30-40; 3 D Rodgers, Lochaber, 1-31-50; 4 I Holmes, Bingley, 1-33-47; 5 J Bland, Borrowdale, 1-37-34; 6 S Jackson, Horwich, 1-39-58; 7 S Burns, Lochaber, 1-40-05; 8 R Gallagher, Westerlands, 1-40-38; 9 J Wright, Todmorden, 1-41-07; 10 A Davenhill, Shettleston, 1-41-56; 11 P Brittleton, Howgill, 1-42-17; 24 S Hicks, Borrowdale,

1-49-21; 31 G Thorpe, Ambleside, 1-52-12; 121 B Scholes, Helm Hill, 2-08-49; 129 R Cannon, Helm Hill, 2-09-53; 206 N Walker, Ambleside, 2-23-42; 217 T Metcalfe, Settle, 2-25-11; 240 D Tomlinson, Howgill,

2-29-36; 262 G Unsworth, Kendal, 2-33-06; 298 N Walmsley, Ambleside, 2-43-12.