GEORGE Beardsmore and James Dale were Worcester winners in the Hereford and Worcester Schools’ Cross Country Championships at Bromsgrove’s Sanders Park.

The rain and sleet was a challenge for the pupils from eight regions who had qualified through school and district competitions.

They were racing to be selected to represent the two counties at March's English Schools’ Cross Country Championships in Leeds.

Beardsmore, of Royal Grammar School Worcester, triumphed in his first year at senior boys' level over seven kilometres.

He was followed in by two Redditch athletes in Gareth Richardson (RSA Academy Arrowvale) in second and Patrick Mackie (St Augustine’s) in third.

Dale, of Nunnery Wood High, took the gold in the 5.5km intermediate boys' race ahead of Joe Hamilton from Trinity High, Redditch.

Another Worcester athlete Laurie Higgins, of Blessed Edward Oldcorne College, finished third.

Eleanor Tarring (Prince Henry’s, Evesham) won the senior girls' race over 4km followed by Ellen Bowen and Alice Batty, both from St Augustine’s, Redditch.

The intermediate girls' race saw Lottie Roberts, of Prince Henry’s, run to victory followed in by Georgia Fox, of Nunnery Wood, with both athletes in their first year at the age group.

Holly Love, of The Chase, Malvern, matched her achievement from last year in third place.

Last year’s junior girls' winner Lily Saxon, of Ridgeway Academy, Astwood Bank, retained her title by just one second from Natalie Hatfield, of Bromsgrove School, in a tight battle over the 3km course.

Ellie Pardy, of RSA Academy Arrowvale, moved up a place from last year to claim the bronze medal.

Another Redditch athlete Josh Robins, of Trinity High, took the junior boys' title for the second year running in a time of 15 minutes 24 seconds.

Andrew Jeavons, of Blessed Edward Oldcorne College, finished second with Henry Faizey, of Woodrush High, Wythall, in third place.

The top six or three for seniors automatically qualify for the national schools’ championships with seventh and eighth places being awarded through selection by Hereford and Worcester Schools’ Athletics Association.

In the district team event, Worcester City topped both the inter girls' and boys' competitions with Redditch otherwise dominant.

RESULTS

JUNIOR GIRLS

1 Lily Saxon Ridgeway Academy, Redditch (Redditch), 2 Natalie Hatfield Bromsgrove School (Bromsgrove & Droitwich), 3 Ellie Pardy RSA Arrowvale, Redditch (Redditch), 4 Libby Hawkeswell Bewdley High (Wyre Forest), 5 Jodie Ruane Royal Grammar (Worcester City), 6 Amelia Hartshorn Haybridge High, Hagley (Wyre Forest). District team: 1 Redditch; 2 Worcester City; 3 Bromsgrove & Droitwich.

JUNIOR BOYS

1 Josh Robins Trinity High, Redditch (Redditch), 2 Andrew Jeavons Blessed Edwards, Worcester (Worcester City), 3 Henry Faizey Woodrush High, Wythall (Redditch), 4 Harry Cockfort Hereford Cathedral School (Hereford), 5 Joe Cunliffe Ridgeway Academy, Redditch (Redditch), 6 Sebastian Purvis Bromsgrove Prep School (Bromsgrove & Droitwich). District team: 1 Redditch; 2 Worcester City; 3 Bromsgrove & Droitwich.

INTER GIRLS

1 Lottie Roberts Prince Henry’s, Evesham (South Worcs), 2 Georgia Fox Nunnery Wood, Worcester (Worcester City), 3 Holly Love The Chase, Malvern (Malvern Hills), 4 Susannah Hoare Prince Henry’s, Evesham (South Worcs), 5 Orla Walker Bromsgrove School (Bromsgrove & Droitwich), 6 Imogen Gillgrass Kings School, Worcester (Worcester City). District team: 1 Worcester City; 2 Bromsgrove & Droitwich; 3 Leominster.

INTER BOYS

1 James Dale Nunnery Wood, Worcester (Worcester City), 2 Joe Hamilton Trinity High, Redditch (Redditch), 3 Laurie Higgins Blessed Edwards, Worcester (Worcester City), 4 Harrison Mayne St Augustine’s, Redditch (Redditch), 5 Stewart Greenhalgh South Bromsgrove High (Bromsgrove & Droitwich), 6 Sam Davey Christopher Whitehead, Worcester (Worcester City). District team: 1 Worcester City; 2 Redditch; 3 Wyre Forest.

SENIOR GIRLS

1 Eleanor Tarring Prince Henry’s, Evesham (South Worcs), 2 Ellen Bowen St Augustine’s, Redditch (Redditch), 3 Alice Battey St Augustine’s, Redditch (Redditch), 4 Annika Schulz Malvern College (Malvern Hills), 5 Abbie Roberts Hereford Sixth Form College (Hereford), 6 Anastasia Korovina Bromsgrove School (Bromsgrove & Droitwich). District team: 1 Redditch.

SENIOR BOYS

1 George Beardsmore Royal Grammar, Worcester (Worcester City), 2 Gareth Richardson RSA Arrowvale, Redditch (Redditch), 3 Patrick Mackie St Augustine’s, Redditch (Redditch), 4 William Jones Prince Henry’s, Evesham (South Worcs), 5 Lewis Osborne Prince Henry’s, Evesham (South Worcs), 6 Alex Johnson South Bromsgrove High (Bromsgrove & Droitwich). District team: 1 Redditch; 2 South Worcestershire; 3 Hereford.