LEIGH Harriers' seniors got the season off to a good start taking third place in the Northern Counties Division Three League.

David Smith headed the team's challenge with a series of personal bests in the field events in which he won the javelin, took second in the discus and third in the hammer and shot.

After winning the B 110m hurdles Ian Graham went on to win the javelin and take second in the hammer.

Hurdler Duncan McCarick scored a second in the 400m and third in the 110m events. While Neil Pendlebury ran a PB in the 5000m A race for fourth Scott Hughes finished runner-up in the B event.

Alex Urmston collected points in the sprints, while Darren Smith was fourth in the 200m and third in the 400m hurdles. John Indricks was 2nd in the 400m and fourth in the 3000m steeplechase while Jimmy Cooke took 4th and 5th in the 800m and 1500m respectively.

The women dominated the middle distance races.

Sisters Lauren and Rebecca Howarth were victorious in the 1500m and 3000m B race while Hannah Warburton won the 1,500m B event and ran to third in the 3,000m.

Amy Riley was 2nd in the 800m and Rebecca Howarth runner-up in the B race.

On the field Carla Baines won the javelin and was third in the discus, while Emma Bilsbury was runner-up in the B discus and fourth in the long jump.

Club members were outstanding in the Manchester Parks road races. Richard Powell took victory in the U13s' 3,000m while Robert Powell was fourth.

Bethany Jones crossed first in the girls' U13 event with Lauren O'Malley fifth.

The U15s scored a double victory, Tom Powell taking the boys' race in 10min21sec and Laura Riches lifting the girls' race - only a second slower.

Veteran Derek Howarth added the over 70's race to his string of victories.

The vets also took third team place in the Bolton 10k thanks to Angela Pike 34th, Barbara Massey 41st and Carol Wood 43rd.