TWICE English and British fell running champion Rob Jebb is resigned to surgery after “popping out” his shoulder when taking a tumble in the English Championship race at the weekend.

The agonising injury to the Staveley runner came as he tripped up on the descent in the Whittle Pike Fell Race while chasing hard after race leader Lloyd Taggart in a bid to maintain his title bid.

Taggart won in 37min 30secs from Borrowdale’s Chris Steel, 38-00, with Ambleside’s Ben Abdelnoor third in 38-14, and in with a chance of benefitting from Jebb’s absence.

Helm Hill’s Tom Addison, who is still an under-23 runner, was a fine fifth, 10 seconds ahead of Bingley’s Ian Holmes in 38-30.

Jebb, who runs for Bingley Harriers, said: “It’s disappointing but things like this happen in fell running.

“Lloyd would have won, but we had both pulled clear and the points for second place would have put me in with a chance going into the final championship race at Sedbergh Hills later this month, a long race which would have suited me.

“But that’s it - the game’s up as far as the title is concerned now, although I could be back running within two weeks if I wanted.

“I am going to have an operation to tighten up all the tendons and it’s better that’s done as soon as possible,” said the British Telecomms engineer, who spent five hours in Blackburn Royal Infirmary until doctors manipulated the shoulder, which has “popped” several times in similar situations, back into position.

The surgery will mean a five-week lay-off and with the cyclocross season coming up the prolific Three Peaks winner is anxious not to disrupt that campaign too much.

Jebb was leading the English fell championship after the latest race at Loughrigg/Silverhowe on June 26 where he had finished third.

He had boosted his challenge in the best of four, six-race series with a victory at Duddon over Ambleside’s Ben Abdelnoor and Ian Holmes on June 4 after recording a third at Long Mynd and a fifth at Mealey Clough.

Even so, Jebb being Jebb he has not totally relinquished hopes of going for his third British title, which ends later in the calendar, though he recognises the worry about falling after the injury would probably hamper his effectiveness.