ATHLETICS: Mike Weedall has won the British Masters Cross Country in Belfast.

Running for Wales through his club Wrexham, Cuddington-based Weedall won in a time of 29 mins 51secs from Scotsmen Iain Stewart and Brian Gardner in second and third place.

Weedall, a 51-year-old postman, has won a string of honours since joining the masters circuit, including gold medals in the British 10,000m and half-marathon championships last year.

And being first class cross country is the perfect improvement for Weedall, who is a coach with Vale Royal AC, as last year he was a silver medallist in the home internationals.

Grange net honours

ANGLING: A MID Cheshire team won the Winsford Winter League for the first time in 18 years on Sunday.

Grange, with their five strong team of Winsford-based matchmen, were the winners and they were champions in style, taking the competition’s major honour by some 14 points.

They scored 414pts to Hazel Pear’s 396 and Last Card Red’s 386.

Victory on the final day – Grange 84, Hazel Grove 57 – did the trick.

Match result: Carl Jones (peg 97) 19-4-0, Peter Watson 11-8-0, Bernie Swift 11-14-0, Keith Smith 11-8-0, Gary Webster 8-12-0.

Taking a bow are Grange teamsters Bernie Swift, Jimmy Young, Steve Walton, Bob Norris and Charlie Brandon.

It was a good week all round for Young, who also won the Winsford Wednesday Open with a year’s best weight of 33-0-0.

Ranson’s takeover

FOOTBALL: Former Witton Albion player-manager Ray Ranson, backed by Sisu Capital, is set to take over financially stricken Championship club Coventry City.

He was in charge of Witton at the start of 1995-96 and stayed until October the following season.

Park’s cheeky boys

RUGBY UNION: Winnington Park have found a cheeky way to raise funds in their centenary year. We reveal all – and so do they – on page 13.