Bingley Harriers' crack fell racing squad won the Calderdale Way Relay over 50 miles.

The 12-strong team beat nearly 100 teams in the Halifax Harriers promotion in which runners competed in pairs over six sections of rain-soaked bridleways and harsh moorland terrain.

Salford Harriers' John Brown and Billy Burns, both former England World Cup fell runners, led Bingley men Chris Carris and Robin Lawrence by almost five minutes after leg one.

Yorkshire junior fell champion, 17-year-old James Mason of Grassing-ton, and former Three Peaks race winner Andy Peace gave chase on the second leg when the Lancastrians made a vital navigational error, taking a wrong turn which led to a seven- minute detour.

Oldfield-based Colin Moses and Jason Feeney of Apperley Bridge ran a blistering third leg, but were chased down by Andy Stubbs and Phil Black, only nine seconds separating the teams at the change over.

However, the Yorkshire squad had something special lined up for section four as top internationals, Eldwick's in-form Robert Jebb and Haworth-based Ian Holmes, took the baton for the most rugged section.

This pair opened up a gap of almost seven minutes on Clayton-le-Moors as Pudsey and Bramley pulled through to third position thanks to former British champion Gary Devine and his partner Rob Hope.

John Taylor and marathon man Mark Croasdale opened Bingley's lead a further four minutes on leg five to Shelf, and it was left to Stewart MacDonald and John Cordingley to hold on for a popular victory, Pudsey taking third place.

Bingley's women were desperately unlucky not to pull off a sensational double, beaten by a team from Sheffield's Dark Peak Club by the narrowest of margins amid controversial circumstances.

As Ruth Whitehead and Sharon Taylor sprinted towards the finish of their leg-four stint at Wainstalls, several dozen runners were lining up to prepare for the 'massed' start as an hourly 'cut-off' time approached.

Outgoing Bingley runners Kirstin Bailey and Janet Cox had to fight through the crowds in a bid to start their leg-five stint, losing valuable seconds in their struggle.

In the end, only one second separated the two leading teams.

Result: 1 Bingley Harriers 5hr 51min 38sec, 2 Clayton le Moors 6-01-19, 3 Pudsey & Bramley 6-06-45, 4 Salford H 6-07-23, 5 Horwich 6-09-44, 6 Dark Peak 6-09-48, 7 Rossendale 6-20-44, 8 Keighley & Craven 6-24-12, 9 Kendal Vets 6-27-42, 10 Holmfirth 6-30-43, 17 Bingley Vets A 6-53-42, 18 Skipton AC 6-56-59, 20 Halifax H 7-01-22, 21 St Bede's 7-02-08, 22 Wharfedale H 7-03-33, 23 Calder Valley 7-04-40, 49 Dark Peak Women 7-47-28, 50 Bingley Women 7-47-29, 60 Clayton Women 8-05-12.