VALE Royal’s talented under 17s squad once again put the district on the map with a medal-winning display at the national cross country relays at Mansfield.

The team of Nikki Meadows, Kathy Stringer and Rebecca Craigie earned silver for Vale Royal – the first time the club has achieved this feat.

Craigie’s time of eight minutes 44 seconds was the second fastest of the day which attracted 900 teams from across the country.

The U17 B team of Charlotte Mills, Milly Ashworth and Gemma Mayled finished in a creditable 33rd place.

Vale Royal’s U17 boys triumvirate of Andrew Clews, Andy Perry and Ed Crowther finished in 48th place out of 78 teams.

Meanwhile the U15 girls squad almost stole the show with three teams finishing in the top 30 in their event.

The A team of Tessa McCormick, Claire Perry and Megan Huxley earned a sixth place while Hannah Bishop, Amellia Pettitt and Lucy Whittick (23rd) and Bryne Archdeacon, Jessica Lee and Kate Moulds (28th) also earned plaudits.

The U15 boys team of Andrew Miles, Tom Marsden and Mike Vannard earned 44th place with the second string of Lewis Healey, Matthew Jakeman and Josh Boyce coming home in 72nd.

The club’s U13 boys trio of Patrick Straderling, James Iken and Nathan Tipping finished 24th out of 64 teams which was the best ever result for Vale Royal at that age group.