SOME of Warrington Athletics Club's youngest runners achieved excellent results in Sale Harriers' annual 'Over The Bales' cross country races.

And none did better than seven-year-old Liam Burthem, who made a spectacular debut for the club at Crossford Bridge.

Liam entered the under nines boys' race and was second past the post in 5mins 45secs.

James Jackson followed him home in fifth place in 6mins 14secs.

Ryan O'Neill, 24 hours after being Warrington's best finisher in the Reebok Cross Country Challenge Series in Liverpool, ran excellently to finish the under 11s boys' race in second place in 6mins 20secs. Luke Johnston was third in 6mins 23secs, Stephen Darbyshire was fifth in 6mins 28secs and Jonathon Lee was eighth in 6mins 35secs.

Their combined times gained them the team award while, in the same race, Simon Mannion was ninth in 6mins 36secs, William Phelps was 11th in 6mins 38secs, Ben Jewitt was 15th in 6mins 48secs and Alex Dorman was 17th in 6mins 53secs and combined they were the first B team. Joe Braidwood, 21st in 7mins 2secs, Dominic Rouse, 22nd in 7mins 5secs and Chris Healy, 37th in 7mins 39secs also ran well.

Mike Stewart had an excellent run to take second spot in the under 13s race. He clocked 6mins 38secs and was followed home by Danny Jackson, sixth in 6mins 51secs and Tom Jervis, 10th in 6mins 54secs.

For the under nines girls, Heidi Williams was third in 6mins 18secs, Kimberley Whittaker was 12th in 6mins 48secs and Sarah Jervis was 16th in 7mins 9secs.

Victoria Hamilton led the under 11s girls team home in fourth spot in 6mins 43secs and hot on her heels were Sophie Kerr, fifth in 7mins, Heather Beeton, 15th in 7mins 14secs and Sally Kershaw-Moore, 19th in 7mins 23secs. Although the team were declared the winners, a check of the result showed that they had actually finished as second team, with 45 points, to East Cheshire and Tameside's 33 points.

One day earlier, Ryan O'Neill was fifth in 7mins 26secs in the under 11s race of the Reebok Cross Country Challenge Series that was held at Sefton Park in Liverpool. Luke Johnston was ninth past the post in 7mins 44secs.

Warrington's other finishing positions and times were, in the under 13s race, Danny Jackson, 14th, 10mins 35secs; Matt Ainsworth, 23rd, 10mins 57secs; in the under 15s, Matt Jackson, 10th, 9mins 16secs; Matt O'Neill, 41st, 10mins 2secs; in the under 17s, Jason McGonigle, 35th, 18mins 4secs; in the under 20s race, Ben Green, 28th, 20mins 1sec; in the senior men, Steve Burthem, 142nd, 37mins 57secs, Neville Jones, 531st, 54mins 15secs.

The next event for the club is the Cheshire Cross Country League at Frodsham on December 28.