CHARLOTTE Roach will step up to represent Great Britain this weekend.

The former West Cheshire AC athlete – who now competes for Vale Royal AC – will take part in the European Cross Country Championships at Toro, in North East Spain, on Sunday.

The 19-year-old is part of a six-strong Great Britain under 20 junior squad after qualifying from the Euro trials at Sefton Park in Liverpool last month.

She fell over twice at the Sefton Park race but still finished fifth overall and third in the U20 age group, just 10 seconds adrift of the winner.

Sunday will be her debut for Great Britain. She missed out on a place in the squad for last year’s World Championships in Osaka when she finished 15th in the trials at Sport City, Manchester but she was the second quickest U20 lady at the British Cross Country Relays in November when she collected a team bronze with Vale Royal.

Charlotte, who is currently studying natural sciences at Cambridge University, is the reigning Northern 1500m and 3,000m champion and she will be hoping to strengthen Great Britain’s bid for honours in Spain.

Great Britain was the top European country at last year’s World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa, achieving fifth position.

West Cheshire AC are leading three age group categories with one round left of this season’s North West Sportshall League.

The club’s U15 boys, U13 boys and U13 girls are currently sitting proudly above their rivals.

After three rounds the league standings are: U11 girls: Crewe 428, Sutton St Helens 401.5, Halton and Frodsham 384, West Cheshire 379.5, Sale 367, Macclesfield 354.5.

U11 boys: Crewe 431.5, West Cheshire 422, 3 DASH 401, Halton and Frodsham 395.5, Sale 374, Sutton St Helens 357.

U13 girls: West Cheshire 428.5, Crewe 427.5, Sale 403.5, Deeside 381.5, Sutton St Helens 379, Halton and Frodsham 331.

U13 boys: West Cheshire 439, Halton and Frodsham 414.5, Southport Waterloo 354, Crewe 315, DASH 291.5, Handforth 151.5.

U15 girls: Crewe 448.5, DASH 432, Southport Waterloo 378, Sale 374.5, West Cheshire 343.5, Macclesfield 343.

U15 boys: West Cheshire 445, Macclesfield 404.5, DASH 377.5, Halton and Frodsham 241, Handforth 169.

West Cheshire AC re-elected its club committee at their annual general meeting on Friday night at the EPIC Leisure Centre, Ellesmere Port.

Further details about West Cheshire AC can be obtained by logging on to www.westcheshireac.co.uk

Entries are now being accepted for the Cheshire County Cross Country Championships, at Forest Park, Birchwood, Warrington, on Saturday, January 5 and the Northern Cross Country Championships, at Roundhay Park, Leeds, on Saturday, January 26. Further details from Dennis Wall or Mike Lamb.

However, entries have now closed for the Chester Round The Walls Race being held from Chester Racecourse on Boxing Day.

Fixtures this weekend include the fourth round of the North Staffs Cross Country League, at Westwood High School, Leek, on Saturday, the third round of the Borders Road Running League at Tattenhall on Sunday (11am start) and a Reebok Manchester Indoor Open Meeting at Sportcity on Sunday.