IN HIS first race as an under 20 athlete, 17-year-old Matt Wood got a silver medal at the Northern Indoor Championships at Sheffield's new Sport England indoor facility on Saturday as East Lancashire athletes scooped a total of four medals.

He clocked 4.08.15 for the 1500m just behind BBC's 'Born to Win' finalist and national junior steeplechase champion Mark Buckingham.

Buckingham, who is two years older, edged away from Wood over the last 200 metres, who nevertheless recorded a good opening time for the season.

Fellow Blackburn Harrier Paul Bradshaw came fourth in the under-17 800m final in 2:05.55 and club-mate Richard Stones came second in his heat to reach the final of the under-20 1500m.

Stones made a creditable fifth in the final in a time of 4:21.55.

All three head for the Northern Cross Country Championships next Saturday at St Helens.

Pendle AC's Eleanor Markendale could be an athlete to follow this summer.

Last season she ranked sixth in the country in the under-15 long jump, and this year she will compete at the top of her age group.

She reacted to her first jump at Sheffield with a big grin even before the distance of 5.01 metres was announced, and although she failed to better her opener, her new indoor personal best was good for the silver medal.

Busy Markendale was competing in three events, all on the second day of competition.

In the 60m hurdles she clocked 11.37 but was eliminated in the heats.

Markendale progressed to the semi-finals of the 200m, but just missed the final with 28.09.

Justine Anderton claimed a second silver for the Pendle team with 2:33.63 in the under-17 women's 800m.

East Lancashire's fourth medal was claimed by Park High School AC flyer Louise Dickinson in the 200m.

Entering the under 20 rankings for the first time, Dickinson won her heat in 26.74 and improved to 25.93 in the final, to take the bronze medal.

Club mate Tiffany Boswell was disappointed to miss a medal in a competitive 800m.

The under-15 was second in her heat and took fourth in the final in a time of 2:29.52.

Carla Garnett also placed fourth, clocking 5:12.87 in the under-17s 1500m, while Burnley's Danny Eckersley's failed to progress with 54.62 in the under-20 400m.