In pictures: Six-mile run raises £4,500 in memory of Borders teenager

The Edinburgh 28-year-old, a competitor at the British Fell Relay Championships at Tebay in Cumbria the day before, was delighted to cross the line first in the Borders, saying: “It was a lovely course and I was surprised but very pleased to be first across the finishing line.

“I will definitely be back to defend my title next year.”

The ladies’ race was won by a fellow member of the capital’s Hunters Bog Trotters, Catherine Magill.

The 41-year-old, also from Edinburgh, was making her first Lilliesleaf appearance too, finishing in a time of 51m 31s.

All funds raised from this year’s event will be donated to the Harris Trust, a charity set up in memory of Lilliesleaf teenager Harris Macdonell following his death in August 2020.

The official starter for this year’s run was his mother Jane, also the founder of the race back in 2015 as a community event doubling as a fundraiser for good causes.

“The build-up up to this year’s event has been great, but it’s also been difficult because we’re obviously doing this run for the first time since Harris died last year and, of course, we’re doing the run this year for the trust,” she said.

“We’ve been rather overwhelmed by the response that we’ve had to the run and very pleased that so many people have come out, a lot of them because they knew Harris.

“There’s a great community spirit here in Lilliesleaf and we’ve had a huge amount of warmth from Selkirk – from the school, from the rugby club and generally from the folk in the area beyond Lilliesleaf.

“We’re indebted to Andrew Grant, of Riddell Estate, over whose land most of the run passes and who has been very supportive.

“Weather conditions also managed to stay dry, which is always a bonus!”

This year’s run raised a total of £4,500 for the trust.

Results

Males: 1, Charles Houston 39:08; 2, Marc Wilkinson 42:05; 3, Alex Luetchford 42:23.

Females: 1, Catherine Magill 51:31; 2, Chloe Summerfield 51:43; 3, Rosie Shankey 57:30.

Over-50 males: 1, Graeme Fletcher 48:57; 2, Ian Maxwell 49:56; 3, John Tullie 50:40.

Over-50 females: 1, Eileen Maxwell 59:53; 2, Carol Fortune 1:00; 3, Lindsay Dun 1:01.

Under-16 females: 1, Jessica McLaren 54:43.

Runners with dogs: 1, Chloe Summerfield 51:43; 2, Andrew Goodair 54:35; 3, Gordon Kelly 1:12.