WAKEFIELD were crowned champions of the Northern Track and Field League after a hard-fought win at Blackburn.

Their ten-point advantage over Preston on the final day (409 against 399) gave the club their first outright victory in the four matches of the season.

West Cheshire (14pts) hauled themselves up to third as City of Sheffield & Dearne dropped to fourth, just pipping City of Hull (also 13).

Hull and bottom-placed Division One team Blackburn now fight the promotion/relegation play-offs against the four top Division Two clubs (Wigan, Blackpool, Rotherham and City of York).

York's victory in the north-eastern group placed them ahead of Gateshead and Morpeth, while Guiseley-based Skyrac performed excellently in such grand company to finish fourth.

Spenborough were less fortunate, getting relegated from their north-western group in fifth. Seaton in west Cumbria beat them by a clear margin in each event, with Holmfirth one place higher in third.

Bingley will replace Spen in Division Two next year. Bingley scored consistently, with 308 to 320 points per match, to hold off Boston and Hallamshire in Sheffield for the second promotion spot in the south-eastern grouping. Scunthorpe were clear divisional champions.

Halifax go up as champions of their south-western group of Division Four. In the south-eastern equivalent, Huddersfield-based Longwood will move up, after three yo-yo seasons, alongside Barnsley.

Bradford-Airedale had a poorer season after several years of improvement, although their numbers of female competitors is fortunately growing.

Individual winners on the day for Skyrac were Adam Brooks in the 400m hurdles (61.0sec) and a B-string victory in the high jump (1.50m), Robert Russell in the hammer (35.90m), Ian Cotton winning the B-string with a throw of 28.73m. James Tate won two B-strings in the shot and discus.

Jody Wills won the triple jump in 9.93m and Hannah Francis the B-string 400m hurdles for Skyrac's ladies.

Bingley's top scorers were Oliver Robinson and Aidan Leach, with five wins across the sprints and both featuring in two winning relays. Matt Savage and Alfie Warriner won both javelin strings. Katherine James and Joanna Lawler-Rhodes topped the long and triple jump A-strings.