OKEHAMPTON Running Club held its annual awards evening at the town 's rugby club - more usually the venue for members to meet for their training sessions.

Club chairman Andy Vallance thanked the committee members for all their work over the past year. He is now stepping down as chairman, the post he has held since the club was formed four years ago. Together with the committee he has worked tirelessly and with great enthusiasm to make the club the success it is now.

The annual awards were given out as follows: Club member of the year, Lucy Skye; coach of the year, Lucy Skye; highest male achiever, Andy Vallance; highest female achiever, Jane Jackson; most improved male, Rob Kelly; most improved female, Abby Williams; hardest trainer male, Chris Aylen; hardest trainer female, Heather Richards.

Also presented were the club award given every three months which went to Karen Skye and the cup for the autumn handicap race which was won by Jo Bowler.

After the presentations the members exercised their brains with a quiz. The winning table was 'Les Miserables' who cracked open their prize of a bottle of champagne – the lowest placed team won the wooden spoon.

The next big event for the club will be the forthcoming London Marathon.

ORC has a good entry again this year despite several members being forced to withdraw from this year's race and yet more members are also training for the marathon distance for the Milton Keynes, Manchester and Edinburgh Marathons which take place in May.