ATHLETICS: WEST CHESHIRE AC's veterans have earned a top-10 place in a national championship.

The purple-vested over-40 squad claimed sixth position at the British Masters Cross-Country Relay Championships staged at Millfield Preparatory School, Glastonbury.

Ken Begley spearheaded the Chester and Ellesmere Port-based club's charge with the fastest leg of 17 minutes 16 seconds.

Ken, who is targeting a successful winter cross-country season, is thriving on his good form of late.

He was joined at Glastonbury by Graham Earlam who posted 18min 40sec; Gary Munslow in 18:27; Paul Price who covered the distance in 19:10; Andy Starkey 17:34; and Paul Frodsham who anchored the team home in 18:30, for a cumulative time of one hour 49 minutes 37 seconds.

The West Cheshire AC team finished behind overall winners Woodford Green, who clocked 1:42.48, runners-up Bideford in 1:42.48 and third-placed Bournemouth, who finished in 1:42:59.

Richard Batterham of West Cheshire clocked three hours 29 minutes 50 seconds in the Snowdonia Marathon, to earn him seventh spot in the over-50 age category. Fixtures this weekend include the first round of the Ellesmere Port and Neston Primary Schools' Cross-Country Race Series at John Street, Ellesmere Port, on Saturday (10am first race).

Boundary Park, Skelmersdale, is the setting on Saturday for the opening round of the Liverpool and District Cross-Country League.

And the second round of the North Wales Cross-Country League takes place at Wrexham on Saturday. Members of West Cheshire AC are reminded that their club's annual general meeting will take place at Bishop's High School, Chester, on Friday, November 28 (7.30pm start). Entries are now being accepted for the Chester Round The Walls Races to be held on Boxing Day from Chester Racecourse (11am start). Further details are available from Brian Hastings on (01244) 311908. Junior distance runners should make a note in their diaries of West Cheshire AC's Open Cross-Country Race Series taking place at Whitby Park, Ellesmere Port, this winter.

The first round is being scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 29; round two on Saturday, December 13; round three on Saturday, February 14; and round four on Saturday, March 6. 10am start on each day.

The series caters for under-11, under-13 and under-15 boys and girls. Entry is 50p per athlete on the day, and medals will be awarded to the first three finishers in each race. Further details about West Cheshire AC can be obtained from Dennis Wall on (0151) 201 1254 (evenings).