A viral infection hindered her start to the new track season, and that brought along hamstring niggles as she worked to get back her fitness and form.

But Holly, 14, has come through the other side to win the West Craven High School 800m, and middle distance double in the Pendle Schools' Championships.

Earlier, her Lancashire Championships efforts were hit by infection a week before, and although she could barely run three minutes, she decided to compete on a whim, and managed fourth, coming away with a personal best in the 1,500 of 5.06 mins, and another new best in the 800m, although she was a long way from peak fitness.

Three weeks ago, in the Lancashire Schools' 1,500m heats, Holly was comfortably in the lead for two and a half laps, until she had to pull up injured with one lap to go.

She stopped for 10 seconds, but, urged by her team mate to carry on, she showed a lot of guts to restart the race, and galloped down the back straight to qualify for the final as a fastest loser, from the fastest heat.

In the final, she had to pull out after a lap due to injury, and was forced to have treatment for a hamstring problem.

However, within a week of treatment, she recovered to win her school 800m at West Craven, breaking the long-standing record, and breaking her time from last year.

Two days later, she struck double gold at the the Pendle Schools' in the 1,500m and the 800m – a double she had never run on the same day before.

And in a hectic schedule, last Friday saw Holly run an excellent race at the Chorley Mile series at Astley Park, finishing second in her age group, before Sunday ended on a high note with Holly tackling her first-ever 5k race over multi terrain at Wheelton, Chorley, in the Thirsty 3, which she entered with her father, finishing 27th in an excellent time, considering the conditions.

Sunday will see Holly race in the Blackburn Celebration Under 16 run – a two-mile race consisting of two laps of Blackburn town centre, before jetting off to a sunnier climate for a well-earned rest.

Holly has also enjoyed team success Blackburn Harriers Under 15s in cross country, winning the Lancashire championships, Mid-Lancs and Red Rose League, and was part of the winning team in the Pendle Schools' championships.

So although the season has had its ups and down, Holly has persevered, and, still has another eight weeks before the track season ends.