More than 500 runners turn out for Spen’s first cross country race of season

Spenborough AC's Simon Bolland in the first West Yorkshire Cross Country League race of the season.

More than 500 hundred runners of all ages enjoyed the fine early autumn weather to run their first cross country race in nearly two years.

In the senior men’s race Simon Bolland was the first Spen runner home in 19th place.

Henry Carter placed 47th, Shaun Harrison 95th and Stephen Hunt was 106th.

Tom Adams, from Ilkley, won the race.

Spenborough’s Jenni Muston enjoyed a good run, placing 11th in the women’s race with Natasha Greerer 45th. York runner Becky Plenty won the race.

The best Spen performance came in the girls under 13 race where Poppy Henson was the winner.

In the same race Millie Rhodes finished 13th and Imogen Atkinson was 40th with the team finishing third.

Isobel Toher was 34th in the under 15 girls race and Finlay Harrison was 36th in the under 15 boys race.

There was plenty of enthusiasm in the young age group races where Ben Whitaker was 30th in the under 13 boys race and his sister Hannah finished 37th in the under 11 race.

Noah Byrne finished 22nd and Edward Atkinson 32nd when they ran in the under 11 boys race.