Ellenborough AC runners have smashed the Billy Bland Challenge Relay record by over 70 minutes.

The 10 runners also managed to break three records for individual legs on the way round the tough challenge.

The Billy Bland Challenge relay is based on the five legs of the 24-hour Bob Graham round, starting and finishing at the Moot Hall in Keswick.

It covers 66 miles, 28,000 foot of climbing over 42 Lake District Peaks. The team consists of 10 runners split into five pairs, each pair running a leg of the challenge.

In 1982 Billy Bland completed the Bob Graham round in an astonishing 13 hours 53 minutes and to this day no solo runner has come close to this time.

This attempt at the record was the brainchild of Ellenborough AC runner Chris Lister who put the challenge to the club members and they set off on Sunday.

Calum Tinnion and Lee Amor blasted away from the Moot Hall in Keswick to tackle leg one, Skiddaw, Great Calva and the magnificent Blencathra.

Leg two runners Scott Keough and Chris Knowles grabbed the baton before passing it on to the next duo of Ricky Lightfoot and Richard McGrath.

This pairing took on the highest point of the day, Scafell Pike and then passed the baton on at Wasdale to Chris Lister and Brian Taylor.

Now around 10 minutes up on the record breaking schedule Chris and Brian kept this trend going, finally dropping into Honister having gained back more time.

And then, renowned for their speed, the final pairing of Mark Walsh and Alan Bowness took over the baton.

They shot up Dalehead, Hindsgarth and the final summit Robinson, soon dropping down to Stair village and the final road miles back to Keswick.

These two hit the tarmac and hit it fast, treating it as a 10k road race and sprinted up to the Moot Hall, touching the door 13 hours and 14 minutes after the start.

Runners on legs one, three and five all broke individual records for their achievements.

Ellenborough spokesman Nick Ray, said: "The relay cannot be compared to a solo effort but Billy’s times are used as a guide and taking into account his 20 minutes of rest which are not needed in a relay, it makes his record time all the more incredible.

"As with all team achievements there’s a lot of behind the scenes work that goes unseen, so huge thanks to Chris Lister for organising the runners, schedules and logistics and putting the crazy idea into our heads.

"Out supporting on the fells were Graeme Fox, Dava Williams, Shaun Atkinson, Alex Roberts, Steven Brown, Paul Johnson, Andy Reid and Gary Thwaite. Thanks also to Nick and Katie Ray for helping with transport.

"Many of the runners have completed solo Bob Graham's and this new record will stand alongside that honour. All at Elbra are very proud of their achievement."