PUPILS at a school near Bromyard put in some excellent performances in a national cross country event that was attended by global superstar David Beckham.

St Richard's School in Bredenbury only has 114 pupils, but their under-11 girls came third among the small schools at the National Prep Schools Cross Country Championships at Malvern College, behind City Of London Freemen's and Maidwell Hall.

The under-13 girls also performed well, finishing second in the small schools category after City of London Freeman's.

Ex-England and Manchester United footballer Beckham was in the crowd to watch the action as his 12-year-old son Romeo was competing for Wetherby Preparatory School.

"There are 114 children at St Richard's aged between three and 14, whereas a school as big as City of London has a junior department of 285 pupils," said St Richard's School headteacher Fred De Falbe.

"It was a huge event with up to 1,300 children there.

"The girls teams are incredible, especially as all of our runners are running against children a year older."

Star performers for St Richard's include Laura Hayton-Lee and Mary Hayton-Lee, who both finished 23rd in the under-11 and under-13 categories respectively.

Other under-13 finishers were India Roberts (33rd), Cecilia Roberts (61st) and Jess Kenyon-Stanley (98th).

Meanwhile, Thomas Jackson finished 39th in the under-13 boys, while nine-year-old Alex Powell finished in a very credible 99th in the under-11 category.

The event comes on the back of St Richard's School hosting a cross country competition for both primary and preparatory schools last week.

The West Mercia Preparatory Schools Cross Country Championships saw Mary Hayton-Lee once again excelling by finishing second in the under-11 girls race.

Cecilia Roberts and India Roberts were among the early leaders, but had to settle for third and fourth place respectively.

The under-13 girls race was won by Lottie Trevethan from The Downs School, Malvern, with Seb Atkinson, from Moor Park winning the boy's equivalent.