THE sun shone for the first time this year as a team from the Bude RATS made their way over to Seaton in East Devon for the annual race organised by the AXE Valley runners — simply Known as The Grizzly.

The race is now so highly regarded throughout the running community that it attracts runners from far and wide, including from outside the UK, with trail runners from Germany, Holland and France joining the RATS on a start line of around 2,000.

The course is an extreme one, with large sections of the 20 mile route being set on uphill paths and fields, incorporating a stepped climb known as the Stairway to Heaven — from the Pebble beach of Branscombe to the top of the sea cliffs overlooking Seaton Bay.

For the full report, and a round up of the latest news and sport, see this week's edition of the Post.