WORCESTER'S over 35s track and field athletes secured the South Midlands League men's and women's titles for a record sixth year.

Both teams go to the regional finals in Solihull on Saturday, September 1.

If Worcester can get their strongest line-ups out, they will aim for a top-three finish.

They hosted the final league meeting of the season at Nunnery Wood and the men's team used their strength in depth with over a dozen regulars missing due to injury, holidays or work commitments.

In the 200 metres John Steel (M70) and Henry Hopkins (M60) came first and second respectively while Nick Hitchins (M40) and Marc Flannery (M35) filled in to secure points.

Hitchins was fourth in the 800m and Derek Jackson (M60) won in two minutes 35.8 seconds to go fourth in the United Kingdom rankings.

Jackson and John Brook together scored 10 points in the 2k race walk.

Martyn Cole (M50), Dave O’Brian (M40) and Matt Fairlamb (M35) ran well in the 3,000m, finishing second, third and fourth in their age groups respectively.

Worcester seized control in the field events with Pete Stewart (M40) second in the pole vault with 2.50m.

In the discus Flannery (M40) was second while Mike Small (M60) threw 38.50m to win and shoot up the UK rankings.

Henry Hopkins (M60) won the long jump with 4.42m and was third in the M35 triple jump with 9.82m.

Flannery (M40) finished third in the shot put and Small (M60) threw 35.51m to win the hammer.

In the 4x100m relay Worcester's scratch team ran well for third in 55.8 with rivals Stratford dropping their baton.

Worcester scored 127 and clinched the league title with Bromsgrove/Redditch on 114 and Stratford on 112.

The women's team were virtually at full strength and proved too strong for the opposition.

In the 200m Maggie Crosswell (W70), Ros Townsend-Hope (W60), Angela Sonn (W50), Nicola Guiver (W40) and Cat Goulder-Davies (W35) secured 36 points out of a possible 40 to fire Worcester ahead.

Vickie Watkins (W35) set a season's best of 2.39.5 in the 800m followed by Becky Selvey (W40) in 2.35.5 and Townsend-Hope (W60) in 3.01.4 for another SB as all three won their age groups.

The 2km race walk saw Emily Seward (W35) and Gill Repton (W50) both get fourth.

Cath Hutchinson (W35) finished second in her vets league season's debut in the 3,000m with Seward (W40) fourth and Liz Bowers (W50) doing 13.18.7 to smash her SB.

Iris Holder (W70), returning from injury, won the long jump with 2.73m for a new league record and then was second in the W60 triple jump.

Repton (W50) had a SB in the hammer with 17m and track judge Pam Price was third in the shot put.

Team captain Mel Garland won the W35 discus, the W40 triple jump and the W35 long jump, potentially against athletes 20 years her junior.

Being ranked number one in the UK at the W55-59 long jump, she cleared 4.53m in obtaining a maximum 24 points in her events.

In the 4x100m relay Sonn, Guiver, Garland and Goulder-Davies won in 58.2 for the fastest time for the women's team in more than five years.

Champions Worcester scored 146 points with Stratford second on 109.

Worcester's officials and helpers made the event possible with Pat Carpenter, Carole Clark, Price, Corleen Knott, Derek Cowdrey, Wendy Bennett, Ian Aitkin, Ann Perry, Debbie Parker, Alan Clark, Maggie Crosswell, Chris Crosswell, Jan Timberlake, Pete Stewart, Claire White, Clive Spencer, Ron Smith and Andrew Peach all involved.