Holmfirth Harrier Helen Berry is in great position to win a medal in the English Fell Open Championship.

Her target this season has been the English Vet 40 Championship, but she completed the latest event – The Sedbergh Hills – within striking distance of a bigger prize.

She was one of 270 athletes who took on the 14 miles, which is deceptively tough because of 6,000 feet of climbing.

The weather was wet, cold and windy, too, with poor visibility on top of Arrant Haw and Calf, the highest of the summits visited, making the going even harder.

Helen was neck and neck for most of the race with her closest rival in the Vets Championship, Mel Price of Mercia, but found the strength in the final mile to take the lead.

She beat Mel by 26 seconds in a time of 2-33.28, over 12 minutes faster than her previous best on the course last year.

Having finished top Vet 40 in four of the five Championship races that she’s competed in, the title cannot be won by anyone else, however Helen must score at the final race at Hodder Valley next month to seal the Championship.

While the Vet 40 title was her goal, Helen finished second overall, which has boosted her points even further in the Women’s Open Championship, following her race win at Kentmere last month.

The men’s race was won by Rob Hope of Pudsey & Bramley, and the women’s by Victoria Wilkinson of Bingley, who smashed the record by five minutes.