WARRINGTON Athletics Club runner Harriet Knowles-Jones is celebrating an international call-up after being selected for the British Athletics Futures Programme.

Knowles-Jones, who is coached by Paul Roden, secured her place on the programme by winning the British Athletics Cross Country Challenge in Milton Keynes on Saturday.

She came home in 16mins 50secs, more than 40secs clear of her closest challenger.

The young star will now join up with the programme for emerging athletes and coaches, which starts next month and runs until next November.

Closer to home, Warrington Athletics Club runners had a busy but successful weekend of racing.

In the junior section, 13-year-old Rebecca Nixon helped Cheshire Girls to a fourth-placed finish at the Dave Sunderland Trophy Cross Country in West Bromwich.

On firmer ground, brothers Graham and Andy Green were the first over-50s home in the Cheshire 10k at Arley Hall by finishing 15th and 22nd respectively.

Andy’s son Jack also ran and came in home 34th in a time of 34mins 54secs.

Meanwhile, the club was well represented at the Manchester Area Cross Country League on Saturday and runners had to contend with thick mud at Boggart Hole Clough.

Lauren Ferris won the under 17 girls race by clocking 24mins 35secs, with Rachel McQuillin coming home in 10th place.

Jack Stubbins, Luke Gamble and Dan Fox combined to secure a team second place in the boy’s version.

Jordan Jones was on form for the under 15 boys, finishing second in 15mins 44secs, with Joe Buckley close behind in fourth.

Isaaq Ataullah (11th) and Joe Roberts (25th) also contributed to lead the team to first place on 17 points.

Olivia Doodson led Warrington’s under 15 girls home in 22nd place with a time of 21mins 15secs. Natalie Chamun was 36th and Fay Humphries came 40th, one place ahead of team mate Isla Kenworthy for an overall 9th place.

Maisie Bell came home 16th for the under 13 girls, with Isobel Houghton, Eva Ferris and Jasmine Jones also chipping in for an eighth-place team finish. Rhys Hopkins was the only under 13 boys runner, finishing 28th.

In the under 11 boys, Zack Chamun finished 31st in a respectable time of 9mins 50secs, four places ahead of Harry Whittaker, who came home in 10mins 18secs.

Molly Wormold led the club’s under 11 girls by finishing 11th in a time of 9mins 23secs, with Emily Entwistle not far behind her in 26th.