KENDAL AC's ladies stole the limelight when Sarah Tunstall made a winning debut for the club at the first of this season's Mid Lancs Cross Country races in Worden Park, Leyland, on Saturday.

International fell runner Sarah, home on a break from university studies, ran away from the 114-strong field over a flat, fast course, which included some tricky single track through woodland, to finish 37 seconds clear in 23min 23sec.

A hard week of training without easing down meant Rebecca Robinson found the going tough, but she could be pleased with her second place in 24-00, keeping ahead of Lancaster's Louise Gardner.

Local girl Sharon Taylor came in fourth, but the Bingley Harrier does not qualify for the Mid-Lancs competitions and ran as a guest, which meant that Evelyn Dugdale was fifth overall and second Vet35.

Although she raced in front of Dianne Priestley up to the finish line, Jackie Waine did not dip soon enough and although their times were the same, Dianne stole 67th place with Jackie 68th.

Kendal (eight points) won the team event convincingly, ahead of Lancaster & Morecambe (22).

Under-20 competitor Keiran Alderson raced the senior distance of approximately 10k and this highly-motivated youngster produced a fantastic run in 36-39 to be 30th overall out of the 250 entry and fifth junior.

He was Kendal's first man home with Vet40 Richard Gorst looking strong throughout to finish 89th in 39-58. After a 100-mile charity walk on the West Highland Way, Paul Singleton's legs were not what they might have been, but he looked happy in 96th in 40-13.

V40 Pete Acland was not too far away in 11th, (41-06) and, after a busy summer on road and trail, Steve Burrows worked hard for his 175th place. V50 Bill Riding was a satisfied 236th.

Among the juniors, U11 Tom Taylor ran a mature race, relaxed and in control to pull away to finish a superb first, 14 seconds ahead of his nearest rival.

At the same age group Chloe Holhead in her first race at club level put in a strong finish to be 18th out of 43.

No stranger to competition, U13 Eilidh Sproul fought hard all the way and a final burst took her to a promising ninth.

In her first cross-country event, Joelle Campbell, running at the top of her age group, finished an impressive 14th, only ten seconds behind Eilidh.

U13 Tom Hartley's consistent training has strengthened him and he was a deserved 14th, while Jake Carradus ran one of the most surprising races as the newcomer finished 21st in a very strong field.

U15s Luke Ingham and Michael Hoyle were shoulder to shoulder in the final 500 metres after Michael battled through from behind. But it was Luke who just held his position for 18th with Michael 19th.