THIRSK & Sowerby Harriers running club secured a top-10 finish at a race at Fountains Abbey.

Mike Cropper was again amongst the front runners as he placed ninth in a field of 285 competitors - an impressive total considering that it clashed with the Rugby World Cup Final.

Olivia Mulligan was the highest-placed female, finishing 12th overall with a time of 20 minutes, one second.

Jemma Cropper was 160th with a personal best of 30.46, Paul Adams was 164th in 31.04, Linda Bamforth was 211th in 33.40, Sharon Keegan was 241st in 36.34, accompanied by Diane Brown who was 242nd in 36.35.

In Northallerton, Phillip Craig came 27th out of a 56-person field in 30.17 with Ken Evitt not far behind - placing 29th in 30.24.

Esther Harrison was among the 99 runners who turned out at Millfield finishing 11th in 22.41, and further afield, James Stephenson came 25th out of 45 participants at Fort William in 31.52.

Rosie Gatenby, a Park Run tourist, was in the south west among the 44 at Somerdale Pavilion, coming 26th in 30.52.

One of the toughest races around locally is the ‘Guy Fawkes 10’.

It was perhaps appropriate that the first finisher for the club was David Fawkes.

In a strong field, he came 53rd in 69.53 with Rob Burn, in a fine vein of form just now, 145th in 58.57, and the first male 65 prizewinner.

The ever-present David Tervit was 150th in 79.00 while Alan Simpson was 174th in a personal-best time of 80.53.

Adrian Saunders came 177th in 80.59, Kirsty Naylor finished 263rd in 85.13 and Andy Butcher, struggling with injury, placed 392nd in 92.04.

Jill Libby was 478th in 96.04 and Alison Butcher in 624th in 104.23.

A sizeable total of 797 runners completed the testing penultimate Club Championship race of the current season, despite the testing conditions.