PUPILS from West Malvern's St James's School took the first two places at the County Cross Country Championships at Bredon School on Saturday.

Forty competitors took part in the event. Marietta Kirkbride, from Year 11, and Emily Merrick, from Year 9, captured the top spots.

They will now go on to represent Hereford and Worcester at the National Schools Cross Country Championships being held in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, on March 25.

The headmistress of St James's, Ros Hayes, said that she was very proud of the girls' success and that it was very pleasing to see them achieving such an excellent result.

She had every confidence that they would go on to further success next month in Mansfield.