A FIVE-strong contingent of Bury Athletic Club runners have qualified to compete for Greater Manchester in the English Schools Cross Country Championships in Nottingham next month.

Ben Forrest, Francis Woodcock, Sophie Whittaker and Lauren Booth have all been selected after earning their places with strong runs in Bury schools vests at the Greater Manchester championships at Longford Park in Stretford on Saturday.

Marcus Dey completes the Bury AC group after running well for the Oldham schools team.

Forrest was the town's star performer on the day, winning the junior boys' race after dominating the field from the gun.

Woodcock finished third in the same race - an impressive performance considering he still has another year in the age group.

Whittaker produced one her best runs of the cross country season to take third place in the senior girls' race ahead of team-mate Booth, who ran a great tactical race to work her way through the field and finish sixth, again one of her best races of the season.

Dey had a fall at the start of the intermediate boys' race and while he worked his way through the field the heavy conditions made it difficult for him to contend right at the front and he finished a creditable fourth place.

A number of other Bury AC youngsters competed well in the championships.

In the minor girls, Erin Kenyon continued her great improvement to finish 12th, while Rebecca Jones (54th) and Rachel Alcock (64th) were further down the field.

Jack Andrew produced a strong run to take 18th place in the minor boys' race.

Charlotte Speakman-Farnworth had one of her strongest runs recently to take 26th place in the junior girls' event, while Ellie Carter was 39th, one place ahead of Daisy Worthington.

Bury also had Heledd Rimmer (50th), Hannah Holland (55th) and Rebecca Froggatt (68th) competing well in the harsh conditions.

Meanwhile, Sam Brooks was 34th in the intermediate boys' race, while Lucy Alcock was the club’s only competitor in the intermediate girls, taking 35th place.

For the senior boys, Harry Stainton ran strongly to take 16th, with Iestyn Rimmer coping well in the mud to finish 18th.