It was one of the biggest sporting weekends of the year across Helsby.

First up on Saturday, Helsby RUFC firsts kept up their Division Three title charge with a 41-12 victory over Didsbury, a superb effort in testing conditions for the players.

Then on Sunday, the famous Four Villages Half Marathon – organised by Helsby Running Club – took place with a fantastic turnout of thousands of runners for what is becoming a well-established event in the winter running calendar.

Local running clubs Helsby Running Club, Chester Tri and Chester Road Runners were well represented in the race in which the runners were battered by high winds, rain and sleet.