Oliver Makinson and Sophie Whittaker both won bronze medals at the Greater Manchester Cross Country Championships and were two of five Bury Athletic Club runners to earn county selection.

Makinson finished third in the under-17s men’s race at the testing Woodbank Park course at Stockport on Saturday.

He held off the challenge from team-mate Marcus Dey, who finished just three seconds and one place behind him, both athletes earning selection to run for Greater Manchester in the forthcoming Inter Counties Championships.

Bury did not have any other competitors in the age group, which ruled them out of the team competition.

Whittaker, meanwhile, was third in the u20s women’s race, with Lauren Booth running strongly to take seventh place as both secured selection for the county team.

Brandon Quinton ran brilliantly to take fourth place in the u15s boys' race, also earning county selection in what was his first championship event.

Stefan Kalambouka ran well to finish 14th and, with the support of Oliver Donnelly (26th) and Jacob Stevens (32nd), the Bury team were fourth overall.

The u15s girls' team was 10th after solid runs from Charlotte Farnworth (30th), Heledd Rimmer (40th) and Charlotte Smith (41st).

In the senior women’s race, Katie Geelan ran strongly to take 14th place ahead of Christie Cook (23rd), Alison Dale (50th) and Pamela Hitchin, as the team finished seventh.

For the senior men, the stand-out performance came from Ben Coop, who claimed an excellent 14th place, building on his recent personal best at 10k in the Ribble Valley race.

Second counter was Pierre-Louis Statsenko, who was 67th, followed closely by Chris MacKay in 69th and Giles Bennett (72nd).

The other Bury finishers were Andrew Worthington (89th) and Nigel Brady (114th), with the Bury team finishing 14th.

Running as solo competitors in their respective age groups, Lucy Allcock was 11th in the u17s women’s race, Iestyn Rimmer was ninth in the u20s men’s, Erin Kenyon was 32nd in the u13s girl’s and Jay Cook finished 37th in the u13s boy’s.