BURY Athletics Club runner Josh Cole took his fine winter form into the British Universities Cross Country Championships at Senneley’s Park, Birmingham.

In one of the most competitive races of the season, Cole produced his usual gritty performance and was rewarded with an excellent 47th place.

Elsewhere, a large number of Bury AC youngsters represented the town in the Greater Manchester Cross Country Championships in Bolton.

In the junior girls’ race, Christie Cook was the first Bury athlete home in fourth place, narrowly missing a medal, but securing her place in what will be a very strong Greater Manchester team to compete in the English Schools Cross Country Championships next month in Nottingham.

Joining her in the Greater Manchester team for the English Schools Cross Country Championships will be Alison Walsh, who continued her splendid form of the winter with an outstanding seventh place in the senior girls’ race.

The inter girls’ race saw Alana Grundy produce one of her best runs of the season to finish 16th. Katrina Conroy was another to produce an excellent run in this race with 26th place. They were well backed up by Caitlin Cole in 37th and Caitlin Healy in 44th.

Running in the same age group, but in the Lancashire Championships, Bury’s Katie Buckley completed yet another fine run this season by taking second place.

In the boys’ races, Benn Heywood finished 25th in the junior race and, in the inter boys’ race, Jack Brown produced another strong run for 25th, with Nathan Milligan not far behind in 33rd, and in the senior race, Dave Simpson ran well to take 17th place.

Three members of Bury Athletic Club claimed their places in the English Schools Cross Country Championships.

On a wet afternoon, and in extremely muddy conditions, at the Lancashire Schools Cross Country Championships, Katie Buckley, Christie Cook and Alison Walsh qualified. A number of senior men competed in the Radcliffe 10-mile trail race.

First home was Pete Bates in 13th place overall. Pete’s time of 68.38 gave him third place in the vets five category.

Not far behind in 17th, in a time of 70.17, was Andy Milligan.

Nigel Brady completed the course in 88.56 for 140th place, with Stephen Tinker taking 154th in a time of 92.16.

l Radcliffe AC enjoyed a record turnout for their 10 mile multi-terrain race on Sunday, with 231 finishers.

Kath Davies was the only Radcliffe runner to compete and she clocked 1hr 28:07 mins.