A COMPETITOR in Sunday's Skiddaw Fell Race was disqualified for discarding his bum-bag early in the race and then picking it up on the way back to the finish.

"On the way out somebody offered to take his bum-bag as it was annoying him," said event organiser Allan Buckley.

"He picked it up on the way back and realised afterwards that he had made a mistake."

Race organisers are coming down hard on competitors who fail to adhere to the rules and do not take the required safety equipment - full body cover, whistle, map and compass - on to the fells. In a recent Lake District race 22 competitors were disqualified for not having the correct kit.

Mr Buckley said that on Sunday other competitors arrived without the required kit and had to go into Keswick to buy it or were loaned it by other runners.

Pudsey and Bramley's Nick Leigh won the nine-mile (2,700ft) race in 1-06-56, almost a minute ahead of Tipton's Seb Shepley. First woman was Matlock's Christine Howard, 23rd in 1-19-49.

RESULTS: 1 N Leigh, Pudsey & Bramley, 1-06-56; 2 S Shepley, Tipton, 1-07-51; 3 S Bolland, Bowland, 1-08-48; 4 D Kay, Horwich, 1-09-02; 5 S Barlow, Horwich, 1-10-30; 6 M Whyatt, Bowland, 1-11-37; 7 R Thomas, Eryri, 1-12-03; 8 G Schofield, Horwich, 1-13-00; 9 N Lockwood, Keswick, 1-14-00; 10 R Owen, Eryri, 1-14-08; 29 P Knowles, Ambleside, 1-21-49; 50 C Addy, Eden, 1-29-09; 103 D Ablitt, Ambleside, 1-53-16; 106 I Conway, Helm Hill, 1-54-46.