THE annual Worcester City Cross Country Championships saw a record number of runners go head-to-head on a muddy course.

The challenging event, organised by Nunnery Wood High School physical education teacher Mark Russell, was staged at RGS The Grange.

The top 16 in the junior girls' and boys' race from years eight and nine and top eight from the intermediate contests for years 10 and 11 qualified for the Herefordshire and Worcestershire County Championships.

They will be held at Sanders Park, Bromsgrove, on January 20.

Nunnery Wood year 11 pupil James Dale and year 10 student Georgia Fox won their intermediate races.

Fox's sister Jess was sixth in the separate year seven contest.

Nunnery took 65 runners to the city championships.

Other county qualifiers were Josh Williams (inter boys, sixth), Lauren Kennard (inter girls, fourth), Dan Lowe (junior boys, eighth), William Rea (junior boys, 13th) and Ruby Jarman (junior girls, fifth).

Their teacher Russell said: β€œIt is a fabulous achievement. We wish them the best of luck.”