Wirral Athletes Storm Podium Places At Port Sunlight Road Race
Photo by Erica Dillon

MORE than 1,500 enthusiastic runners pulled on their trainers last weekend for the 11th staging of the Port Sunlight Road Race.

The event on:- Sunday, 9 June 2024, featured two competitive races covering 5K and 10K distances, as well as a 1K Fun Run for youngsters aged 12 and under which attracted almost 200 youngsters.

Three of the top four finishing places were secured by Wirral clubs Wallasey AC and Pensby Runners. Two podium places were also taken by runners from Unilever Port Sunlight.

This year's races sold out 2 weeks before event day; and is the highest number of entries since the event has been staged post pandemic.

Entries are already open for next year's race on:- Sunday, 8 June 2025 at:- BTRLiverpool.Com.

Port Sunlight Road Race is organised and delivered by independent race organiser BTR Liverpool in conjunction with Port Sunlight Village Trust (PSVT).

1st staged in 2012, Port Sunlight Road Race is well established in the Region's race calendar.

Unilever Port Sunlight supported the event as headline sponsor for the ninth consecutive year.

On the day, 115 runners from Unilever Port Sunlight took part across both races, including:- a team from the company's Sunlight Runners group.

Official proceedings for the event; which included:- starting the races, handing out medals, and prize presentations; were conducted by Emily McArdle, Trustee of Port Sunlight Village Trust, and Cameron Jones, Head of Unilever Port Sunlight.

The day's activities centred round Port Sunlight Village Green in the heart of the picturesque setting, next to Port Sunlight Museum.

Runners can use their race number to enjoy free entry into Port Sunlight Museum until 1 December 2024.

The 5K route took runners along the tree lined boulevards and perfectly manicured gardens of Port Sunlight Village. The 10K followed two laps of the 5K route. Runners were presented with a commemorative medal and T-shirt after completing their races.

A group of 240 runners also took on the dual race challenge; completing the 5K race, quickly followed by the 10K. They collected two medals and T-shirts, along with a 3rd bonus medal to celebrate their achievement.

One of the day's most senior runners; 77 year old Sidney Molyneux, from Wirral; completed the dual challenge race.

A total of 578 runners completed the 5K race.

Port Sunlight Road Race 5K 2024 was won by Christopher Jones from Wallasey AC with a time of:- 17 minutes 15 seconds. This is the second consecutive year he has took the top honours in the race.

2nd place male was David Hinde from Chester Tri in:- 17 minutes 37 seconds. Kieran O'Brien from St Helens Striders took 3rd place with:- 17 minutes 52 seconds.

First place female in the 5K was Paulena Kremling from Wallasey AC in:- 18 minutes 51 seconds.

2nd place was Evie Melissa Smith from Warriors Pentathlon Athletics Club in:- 20 minutes 1 second. Lynsey Coan from Unilever Port Sunlight took 3rd place with:- 20 minutes 41 seconds; this was a 2nd consecutive podium place after she won the same race in 2023.

The 10K race saw a total of 942 runners completed the race.

Port Sunlight Road Race 10K 2024 was won by Ben Taylor from Pensby Runners in:- 33 minutes 24 seconds.

2nd place was Justin Strover from Blackheath and Bromley Harriers AC with a time of:- 35 minutes 25 seconds. Matthew Johnston from St Helens Striders was 3rd in:- 35 minutes 58 seconds.

First place female in the 10K was Rachel Jacks from Southport Waterloo AC with a time of:- 40 minutes 31 seconds.

Second place was Marleen Renders from Unilever Port Sunlight in:- 42 seconds 13 seconds; taking the same position for the second consecutive year. Ellie McGuinness was 3rd place in:- 42 minutes 17 seconds.

Port Sunlight Village Trust (PSVT) is an independent charity and custodian of Port Sunlight, an exemplar worker Village created to support the wellbeing and productivity of the Lever Brothers soap works employees and their families.

As custodian, PSVT works with important stakeholders to protect the heritage, ensure a great quality of life for people, and promote understanding of Port Sunlight's global value and relevance.

Emily McArdle, Trustee of Port Sunlight Village Trust, commented:- "This event is always a real highlight in the Port Sunlight calendar. Well done to all the runners, especially those visiting for the very 1st time, and we hope to welcome you back next year. A big thank you to our residents who support the event by either taking part, spectating and everyone on, or volunteering."

Port Sunlight is Unilever's historic UK home, created by one of the company founders William Lever to provide his Sunlight Soap factory workers with decent, affordable houses.

Unilever today continues to have world class manufacturing, research and development (R&D), and IT facilities based in Port Sunlight. Unilever's brands; including:- Persil, Dove, Tresemme, Radox, Comfort and Surf; can be found in 98% of households in the UK.

Cameron Jones, Head of Unilever Port Sunlight, added:- "What a fantastic day for the Village and a brilliant turn-out, with a lot of people saying this was the best year yet. Unilever Port Sunlight has sponsored the event for the ninth consecutive year as part of our commitment to promoting health and wellbeing. Congratulations to everyone who took part, our team of 115 and the Sunlight Runners. You all did yourselves very proud."

Volunteer teams included:- Birkenhead Park Running Club, Claire House Children's Hospice, Marsh Lane Harriers, and members of the Merseyside running community.

The race record times remain intact:-

The 5K record was set by Joseph Boden from Wallasey AC in 2019 with a time of:- 15 minutes 28 seconds. The female 5K record is held by Helen Sahgal from Liverpool Pembroke and Sefton Harriers in 2018 with:- 18 minutes 13 seconds.

The 10K record is 30 minutes 19 seconds, set by Dejene Gezimu from Liverpool Harriers in 2016. The female 10K record was set in 2016 by Sophie Whiteside, also from Liverpool Harriers, with a time of:- 36 minutes 42 seconds.

BTR Liverpool is the leading independent organisation for creating, managing, and delivering headline race events across Liverpool City Region.

Next in the BTR race portfolio is the 52 mile BTR Tour Of Merseyside starting, on:- 30 June 2024, including races in:- Thurstaston and New Brighton, as well as the BTR Wirral 10K, on:- Sunday, 13 October 2024.

Full details about BTR events can be found at:- BTRLiverpool.Com.

Investigation launched after skinny dog found abandoned in Merseyside

THE RSPCA is appealing for information after a skinny dog; believed to be a pocket bully type; was found wandering in:- Holden Road, in Prescot, Merseyside. RSPCA Inspector Leanne Cooper who is now investigating said that the tan coloured dog was caught by a member of the public and taken into a local vet practice in Liverpool, where vets contacted the RSPCA.

Inspector Cooper added:- "The dog was extremely emaciated, and was so skinny you could see all of her ribs and her protruding hip bones. We suspect she's been neglected for some time, and that she's been malnourished before being abandoned in Prescot, on 17 May, and left to fend for herself. She weighed just 18.1kg. The dog, a 3 year old called Diana, was microchipped and enquiries were made to track down her current owner, but the RSPCA is now appealing to the public for help. Diana received initial treatment from vets and is now in the care of the local authority dog warden. I'd like to hear from anyone who recognises Diana or knows where she may have come from, or who owned her. You can get in touch with us by contacting our appeal line on:- 03001238018 and leaving me a message, using reference number:- 1268936."

Vets believe Diana may be linked to another dog of a similar breed who was also brought in having been abandoned emaciated a few weeks before.

Inspector Cooper also commented that:- "Unfortunately there are lots of dogs who need help and while we'd like to be there for them all, we simply can't. That's why we're asking the public to do their bit to help create a better world for animals. If you find a stray dog, please contact the local authority, which provides a service to help unowned, lost and missing dogs. If you're concerned the dog may be sick or injured; like poor Diana here; then please take them to a local vet who will be able to provide them with the help they need as quickly as possible, and can then call us in if they suspect neglect or cruelty. We want to esure animals in need get the help they need as quickly as possible, so we're grateful to everyone who does their bit to help. Together, we can all help to create a kinder world for every kind."