HELM Hill's Paul Brittleton won Saturday's seven-mile Kirkbymoor Fell Race by the narrowest of margins.

He beat Cheshire's Colin Fray by just one second in the downhill road sprint to the finish outside the village hall in Kirkby-in-Furness.

They had broken away from a group of five that had been together for most of the race and Fray looked the more likely to win as he edged in front as they came off the moor and hit the road.

Then Brittleton's last-gasp sprint saw him overhaul Fray with the finish line in sight to secure his first fell race victory of the year.

Brittleton had intended to "take it on" much earlier but was uncertain about the route despite finishing fourth last year and instead tucked in behind team-mate Shaun Addison who was the only one among the leaders to know his way round.

By checkpoint five Addison was fading and Brittleton and Fray took it on leaving Mark Addison (Helm Hill) and Endmoor's Mike Robinson (Dark Peak) to battle it out for third place.

First lady was Dark Peak's D Pelly who was 28th in 70-02.

Results: 1 Paul Brittleton, Helm Hill, 54-40; 2 C Fray, Cheshire, 54-41; 3 Mark Addison, Helm Hill, 55-43; 4 M Robinson, Dark Peak, 55-58; 5 S Addison, Helm Hill, 56-25; 6 P Knowles, Ambleside, 59-30; 10 M Addison, Helm Hill, 61-11; 11 R Cannon, Helm Hill, 61-15; 13 M Meadowcroft, Dallam, 61-30; 14 B Kennedy, Settle, 61-35; 16 J Parminter, Black Combe, 63-25; 18 D Richardson, Helm Hill, 64-54; 19 D Griffin, Dallam, 65-41; 20 D Parminter, Black Combe, 69-03; 26 S Johnson, Helm Hill, 69-48; 27 B Laycock, Ambleside, 70-01; 29 D Woodbridge, Ambleside, 70-12; 32 C Musetti, Ambleside, 70-47; 38 B Sendlehotter, Ambleside, 75-05; 41 D Till, Helm Hill, 75-50; 46 N Goffe, Black Combe, 80-36; 50 J Laycock, Ambleside, 90-42; 52 K Nixon, Black Combe, 96-46.