GRANGE Farm and Dunmow Runners' women put in strong individual and team performances to race to victory in the Mid-Essex Cross-Country League.

The latest round was hosted by Springfield Striders at Highwood, near Writtle over a course that took runners through woods, along muddy tracks and around fields, before finishing at Writtle Park Farm.

Grange Farm and Dunmow Runners entered teams of 12 women and 14 men, with the first four women and seven men scoring team points.

Kerry Harrington finished second female, followed by Karen Pickering (fourth), Hayley Smith (tenth) and Hayley Morley (13th), to secure first place for the club.

Mid-Essex Casuals and Springfield Striders took joint second places, ahead of Little Baddow Ridge Runners and Braintree and District Athletic Club.

Grange Farm’s men were led home by Josh Sowman, who finished third, and Lee Pickering, in fourth.

Alistair Brown was sixth, followed by Dan Reynolds (seventh), Kevin Marshall (17th), Matt Webster (22nd) and Ashwin Shah (31st).

The home team, Springfield Striders, took first place, with Grange Farm second, followed by Little Baddow, Braintree and Mid-Essex Casuals.

The next race in the series will be hosted by Grange Farm at Dunmow on February 25.