LEIGH Harriers Under 15s girls team started the cross-country year just where they had left off, dominating the Greater Manchester Championships at Wythenshaw Park.

The young Harriers had five athletes in the top 10 with Adele Swanton leading the team to first place for a second successive year.

On a two-mile frozen course, Swanton was always up with the leaders, finishing in third place and a bronze medal in a time of 12mins 46secs. Lizzy Heaton was also in top form, finishing fourth in 12.57. Gema Farley, the NW Women's League champion wasn't at her best but finished a gutsy sixth in 13.24. Amanda Fearnley gave good support to the team with a ninth place finish in 13.44 while Emma Morris was an outstanding 10th in 13.58.

In the senior ladies race over four miles, Anne Powell, who has been in outstanding form over the country with wins in the SE Lancs League and Red Rose League, won her first county medal. In a tough race with only 30 seconds covering the first three runners, Powell finished second in 24.02 and a place in the Greater Manchester team to compete in the Inter-Counties Championships at Nottingham which are also trials for the World Cross Country Championships.

Tom Boardman, who has missed three weeks training, showed determination to finish in seventh place in the boys Under 15s race in 11.25. Alex Urmston ran well for 14th in 12.04 with good support from Neil Pendleberry 26th in 13.33 and Andy Edwards 28th in 14.52. Leigh just missed out on a team medal by finishing fourth.

Other good performances came from Sam Cooke who finished in 20th in the Under 17s youth race. Laura Morris was 14th in the Under 17s ladies race.