The event organisers said Becky Atkinson, from west Wales, won the competition and despite it being her first Rasselbock Backyard Ultra race, she completed 40 hours of continuous running, reaching a total distance of 166.4 miles.

Second and third place went to Hayley Wilson, from Worksop in Nottinghamshire, and Hollie Jones, from Easby in Yorkshire.

Eric Keeler, the event organiser, said: “We went through thousands of results worldwide and an all-female winning line-up has only happened once before – in Iceland.

“Becky’s 40-hour debut, and a female top three, was an exciting result for the event.”

He said the Hardwick event was uniquely challenging.

“It features the smallest start line across the series in this country due to single-track trails and estate gates,” he added.

“Runners navigate a course through a farm and share the path with sheep and cattle, which is always a fun experience, especially at night!”

More than 700 Rasselbock Backyard Ultra events take place globally each year, with 55 held across the UK.