ATHLETES from across Herefordshire represented the county competed against the best in the country at the prestigious Inter Counties cross-country championships.

A team of 21 intrepid athletes made the long trip up to Prestwold Hall near Loughborough for the cross-country meeting, which is considered the highest standard of domestic cross-country competition.

Each member of the Herefordshire team who competed did the county proud and there were some excellent performances on a very muddy and challenging course.

First on the course were the under-13 girls who were led home by Olivia Hayman closely followed by Amy Hinton and Lucy Tetley.

Next up was the women’s team when Alice Taylor was the first Herefordshire runner back in an excellent 121st, followed by Laura Lelievre, Naomi Prosser, and Kate Green just pipping Jo Tilby.

The under-13 boys fielded a scoring team and were led home by Fred Tyler who was ably supported by Ruben Mabberley, Oscar Martin and James Giampalma.

The under-15 Boys also closed in a scoring team of Mathew Mannion, Ben Warburton, Jacob Stuffins and Caleb Paviour.

Finally, the men took to the increasingly muddy course with Charlie Jones finishing a strong 123rd out of nearly 300 runners.

Jones was backed up by Eliot Taylor, Dan King, Chris Grubb and Tom Grady.

The strength of Herefordshire athletics was show as it is the first time in many years that the county has had runners in the Inter Counties, in so many age groups.

The Herefordshire Athletics Association said: “It is the first time for quite a few years that we have had runners in the Inter Counties, in so many age groups.

“Hopefully, this is the start of something bigger and better. Although we are small in population, there is no reason why we can’t mix it with the best in the country.”