AS the summer track season winds down, Vale Royal Athletics Club's Jacob Brown started his track-racing comeback after more than three years of injury struggle.

Brown last raced for Tulsa University at the American Conference Championships in Florida, 2021, while suffering from an abdominal injury.

Upon his return to the UK, this was eventually diagnosed as an inguinal hernia requiring surgery in 2022 to repair.

Returning to running after nine months of inactivity has proven tough, but finally, last Wednesday he returned to the track at a British Miler's Club regional meeting in Loughborough.

He didn't get a fairytale win but was happy to be back in the fray and with a respectable time, too.

Brown finished fifth in the 800m B race in 1mins 56.06secs.

Three days later, on Saturday, the British Miler's Club held their fifth and final Grand Prix of the year at Trafford.

Vale Royal star-of-the-show on the night was Sam Stephens, who despite suffering from a cold in the preceding week, came a close second in the 1500m D race in a personal best 3:50.52.

Holly Weedall was well to the fore in her 1500m race but faded in the latter stages due to breathing difficulties, eventually crossing the line ninth in 4:40.85.

Jacob Brown, racing again so soon because he was mistakenly entered into the BMC GP rather than next Tuesday's Trafford GP, was seeded into a race which was much too fast for him at this stage.

Having been dropped by the pack on the first lap, Jake completed the second alone before placing eighth in 1:57.97.