RECORDS were smashed at the Clif Bar 10 Peaks challenge in the Lake District on Saturday as the event continues to go from strength to strength.

The challenge sees competitors hike or run non-stop over the ten highest peaks in the Lakes, covering a distance of nearly 73km with over 5,600m of ascent.

Both the male and female course records were broken, with Tom Hollins, 39, from Ilkley, shaving 25 minutes off the previous record with a time of 13:02:47.

Angela Armstrong, 36, from Carlisle, was the leading lady, finishing with a time of 14:59:50, which again represented a course record.

New to this year’s event was a shorter course option, which was won by Tony Holland, 50, from Barrow-in-Furness, with a time of 7:54:30.

10 Peaks organiser Paul Smith is thrilled with how popular the event has become, with the challenge now in its fourth year and growing in popularity.

“It started as an idea where I was going to do the route with a couple of friends to raise money for cancer charities – my dad died of the disease four years ago,” he said.

“But then I thought other people may wish to join me. At that stage so many people said the idea was ridiculous – it’s nice to prove those people wrong.”

Just over 50 people joined Paul during the inaugural challenge in 2009, but Saturday saw 210 entrants with £80,000 raised for charity in the first three years.

Based in Guernsey, Paul, a 41-year-old graphic designer, chose the Lake District as it holds happy memories for him and his family.

“It is not the easiest place to be based to organise an event in the Lakes but the reason I chose there was it is one of my favourite places, we used to holiday there as a family,” he added.

“I did a lot of the peaks with my dad and thought it was the obvious place to do a memorial event.

“Having organised this event for the last four years I know it a lot better now!”