VICTORIA Wilkinson has started her defence of the English Fell Running women's championship with a record-breaking performance.

She romped to victory at Black Combe in West Cumbria in a time of 1hr 18min 29sec to smash the course record by 20 seconds.

The previous best time had been set in 1997 by the Welsh runner Mari Todd.

Wilkinson, 37, from Hebden, didn't believe the conditions would allow her to beat the record.

She said: "The weather was misty and there was a massive field of 750 which meant that the men and women ran separately rather than together.

"It meant I had nobody to chase. It was like doing a time trial.

"When I discovered I had beaten the record I was surprised."

Wilkinson is planning to do some warm-weather training in Majorca at Easter before competing in the Three Peaks Race next month.

It's a race she won in 2014 and this year it is a qualifier for June's World Long Distance Championships in Slovenia.

"The Three Peaks is my prime goal and I want to be ready for the race," she said.