Bingley Harriers paid tribute to a man who is spreading the word about the highs and lows of fell running at their annual dinner.

Richard Askwith, who was named as the 2005 best new writer in the British Sports Publishing Awards for his

popular book Feet in the Clouds, was guest speaker at the dinner held at Northcliffe Golf Club, Shipley.

Askwith, who is also associate editor of the Independent newspaper, in turn paid tribute to his fell running heroes from the club - Andy Peace, Ian Holmes and Rob Jebb, who he frequently mentions in Feet in the Clouds.

He also extolled the virtues of fell running, which he praised as one of the few remaining sports that had not "sold its soul".

"You don't just have to be fit to be a fell runner," he said. "You have to have co-ordination and agility, and be daring and resilient. You have to have the willingness to understand mountains and put up with serious discomfort."

He said fell runners were not in the sport for money, they were in it for "fulfilment and companionship and for the joys of actually doing it".

Askwith presented trophies to club members for their achievements during 2005.