Looking at my results sheet from Downham 1983, I see that Dave Cartridge was only 25 seconds slower than John Wild. I remember the wall, but I don't remember the plank; although the plank must have been there, because with my wall-climbing skills I wouldn't have finished at all without some assistance to get over the wall. I did Downham again in 1990; it must be the toughest short race ever run on Pendle, so it's a pity it has disappeared from the calendar. As for the village of Downham: people rave about how beautiful the stone-built villages of the Cotswolds are, but when I first passed through Downham I remember thinking that it must be the most perfectly picturesque village in England.
And yes, I do remember the brown envelopes for results.