IDENTICAL twins Liam and Rob Barton achieved identical results -- first places -- in their last Lancashire Schools Championships.

This time next year the St Mary's College pupils will be in America after earning scholarships to the Alabama State University, but last Saturday they were at a windy Stanley Park in Blackpool competing for Blackburn Schools.

Steeplechaser Liam has had another good season, so his victory in the senior boys 2000m race was almost expected.

Rob, however, has only just returned to the track after a long absence due to shin splints but still managed to win the 1500m.

It was in last year's English Schools Championship that he made his big breakthrough taking the silver medal, but this season he will have to rely on the discretion of the selectors as he was outside the qualifying time.

Louise Dickinson is certain to be picked for the county after breaking the 22-year-old championship record in the junior girls 200m.

Representing Pendle Schools, the Park High School athlete clocked 25.8 seconds to eclipse the 26.1 by Melanie Atkinson back in 1979.

Dickinson was 1.6 seconds clear of the rest of the field and ran faster than the intermediate winner.

Two of the form competitors of middle distance running, Matt Wood of Blackburn and Laura Finucane of Burnley, will also be invited to the English Championships -- which are at Exeter on July 6 and 7.

Queen Elizabeth's pupil Wood won the intermediate boys 800m by ten seconds in 2:07, while intermediate girl Laura of St Hilda's won over the same distance in 2:12.2.

One local field athlete made the qualifying mark, Chorley's Eloise Manger threw the javelin 38.51m to take the intermediate title. RESULTS

Senior Boys: 100m: 1A Ademuyewu (H) 11.0 (ES), 2 M Kumwende (H) 11.2 200m: 1 A Ademuyewu 23.1 1500m: 1 Rob Barton (BB) 4:13.6 110m Hurdles: 1Colin Bailey (B) 16.2 2000m steeplechase: 1 Liam Barton (BB) 6:17.4 Long Jump: 1 M Kumwende (H) 6.31m Triple Jump: 1 N Yusufu (H) 12.96m Shot: 2 Paul Sockett (Preston) 12:48

Intermediate Boys: 200m: 1 Danny Whittaker (R) 23.5 800m: 2 David Lowe (P) 2:09.1 High Jump: 1 J Ordish (C) 1.75m Triple Jump: 1 Owen Woodward (B) 13.03m Discus: 2 Mark Griffiths (H) Shot: 3 James Robinson (P) 11.83m Javelin: 1 A Ormisher (C) 53.09m (ES), 2 Gary Wadsworth (C) 47.21m

Junior Boys: 100m: 2 M Smith (C) 12.2, 3 S Pritchard (C) 12.2 200m: 1 Mark Fletcher (BB) 24.9 400m: 1 Kieran Turner (P) 54.6 800m: 1 Matt Wood (BB) 2:07 (ES) High Jump: 1 Lee Pursglove (C) 1.70m Discus: 1 J Ashworth (H) 32.32m, 2 Jason Wade (P) 32.23m Javelin: 1 Andy Charlesworth (H) 42.16m

Senior Girls: 800m: 1 Jennifer Tunstill (P) 2:24.6, 2 Karen Brooks (BB) Long Jump: K Hodgson (BB) 4.49m

Intermediate Girls: 100m: 2 Sally Targett (P) 13.1 200m: 1 Natalie Williams (R) 27.2 800m: 1 Laura Finucane (B) 2:12.2 (ES) 1500m: 1 Rachel Holt (BB) 5:01.9, 3 Anne Smith (P) 5:24 3000m: 1 Katie Ingram (C) 11:14.3 300m Hurdles: 1 C Holmes (C) 47.3 Javelin: 1 Eloise Manger (C) 38.51m (ES), 2 Laura Dunlop (B) 30.52m

Junior Girls: 200m: 1 Louise Dickinson (P) 25.8 (ES), 2 L Hodkinson (C) 27.4 800m: 1 Anna Brooks (BB) 2:25.7, 3 Justine Anderton (P) 2:37.5 1500m: 2 Laura Livesey (C) 5:05.2, 4 Charlotte Bickerstaffe (P) 5:12.6 75m Hurdles: 1 Anna Griffiths (BB) 12.1 Discus: 1 Lucy Hunt (BB) 23.48m, 2 Lauren Grime (H).

(KEY: ES- English Schools Qualifying Standard achieved. Towns: B-Burnley, BB-Blackburn, C-Chorley, H-Hyndburn, P-Pendle, R-Rossendale)