COLCHESTER Harriers’ ladies continued their run of success at the Essex County Cross Country Championships at a sunny Gloucester Park, in Basildon.

Milly Presland led the way, running a strong race to secure the overall bronze medal in the under-17 women’s race, while in the senior women’s race Laura Hubbard (14th) combined with Sarah Stradling (17th), Kat Rigby (an excellent 22nd on her club debut) and Denise Morley (23rd) to come away with the team bronze.

The ladies' B team comprising Andrea James (26th), Ella Jeffries (40th), Becky Cooke (46th) and Tina Southgate (58th) placed an encouraging eighth.

Veteran Adrian Mussett was seventh in the senior men’s race and, as such, qualified for the Essex inter-counties team.

Along with Chris Sellens (33rd), Cameron Humphries (43rd), Dan Widdowson (50th), Dean Williamson (55th) and Keith Marley (58th), the A team placed sixth in the team competition.

The B team, made up of Paul Rodgers (60th), Jon Nears (65th), Sam Higgins (77th), Colin Ridley (83rd), Robert Smith (86th) and Michael Smith (87th), came home in 11th position.

In trail racing, Malcolm Statham completed his 224th marathon, battling the muddy, waterlogged conditions to complete the East Hanningfield trail race in four hours and 32 minutes while Mel Dowell ran 58m 37s to finish first lady in the 6.8-mile New Year’s Day Hair of the Dog event from Good Easter, with Allen and Fay Smalls clocking 1h 25m 20s.

Highlights from the weekend parkrun action included Danny Millward finishing first at Colchester Castle in 18m 3s, with Jason Gunn second in 18m 34s and Lyla Belshaw second lady in 21m 15s.

Paul Dobson ran 18m 58s to finish second at Maldon while Tom Cresswell posted 18m 29s to finish second at Great Cornard.

Ross Livingstone was fourth in Andover in 19m 9s while Kieron Callaghan completed a busy festive period of running by clocking 23m 21s to finish first in his age group at Virginia Water in Ireland.