CROSS country star Tom Boardman stormed to a shock victory in the Greater Manchester Schools' Championships at Middleton.

Representing Wigan Schools, the Wigan and Leigh College student lifted the senior boys' gold medal after snatching the title from a British junior international on the line.

Leigh Harrier Tom, who recently collected a Northern Counties' bronze medal, was in a positive frame of mind over the 6.5k course and ran shoulder to shoulder with U/20 champ Anthony Moran.

With the line in sight Tom's determination paid off and a tough battle ended in victory by a hair's breadth for the Leigh runner, both athletes clocking 22min 17sec.

Tom will now represent the county at the All England schools' championships at Maidstone.

Two other Leigh Harriers also won county team places in the national schools' championships following their strong performances at Middleton.

Bedford High Schools' Hannah Warburton, a year eight pupil, ran a superb junior girls' 3k race against opponents a year older.

Though always up with the leading group she just missed out on a medal in a close finish in 11min 30sec.

She will be accompanied on the trip by Leigh's third success, Deanery pupil Rebecca Howarth who produced her best run of the year in the intermediate girls' agegroup to finish seventh in 17min 53sec in a highly competitive race .

Other Leigh athletes who shaped up well included Alex Urmston who finished 14th in the senior boy's race in 25min 7sec and Kristy Hogan was sixth counter for Wigan in the junior girls' race in 15min 1sec.

The junior boys' event over 4k saw Lowton High School's Larsell Gallagher just miss a county place after finishing ninth and Martin Green improving to finish 39th.

In the senior girls' 4k St Mary's RC High pupil Amanda Fearnley clocked 19min 21sec to finish just out of the county squad. Wigan's other competitor Yasmin Foulds was 14th in 23min 23sec.

In the minor girls' events Bedford High's Amy Riley finished 6th over the 2.5k course in 190min 23sec and in the minor boys' event over the same distance Isaac McCann was fifth in 10min 20sec.