IT'S tight at the top of the West Midlands League Division Three after the second round at Corby last week.

Newly promoted Bromsgrove and Redditch Athletic Club (B&R) are fifth place but are only 2.5 points behind joint leaders Corby, Stratford and Nottingham.

However, B&R will go into the third round in Burton at the start of July in confident form after a string of impressive performances by club members.

Andy Freeman recorded two personal best times, setting 64.5 seconds in the 400 metres hurdles and winning the javelin B event with a throw of 39.18m.

Matt Addison also set a best new time in the 800m A race of one minute and 57.9 seconds to come runner up. Addison did go on to win 800m B event with a time of two minutes.

Mike Rudkin finished third in the hammer B event, while James Hart set a personal best of 6.04m to record second in the long jump.

Absence

Paul Collins, back after a five year absence from athletics, showed no sign of rustiness to win the three kilometre steeplechase's B race, while Damien Lewis was fourth in the A event.

Lee Redgrave came fourth in the 110m hurdles A, while Addison maintained his excellent form to come third in the 1500m A event.

Team captain James Adie once again set the example by winning the 1500m B event.

Rudkin was second in the shot-put B with a throw of 10.16m and Sam Cater was third in the A section when he recorded a distance of 12.16m.

Damien Lewis was third in the 3km event with a time of nine minutes and 35 seconds, while James Byrnes was fourth on his debut in the high jump B event with a leap of 1.55m.

Adie said: "The whole team performed strongly.

"It's very tight in the division and anything could happen."