STUDENTS from Wyre Forest tested their mettle against the rest of the country at the English Schools Athletics Association Cross Country Championships on Sunday.

Athletes had qualified through school and then district competitions culminating in the County Schools Championships held in Hereford earlier in the year.

Eight runners from each category were then given the opportunity to represent their county at Castle Donington in Leicestershire.

Bewdley High School’s Bryony Haines was one of the district’s strongest performers in the year 10 and 11 category.

She finished 103rd and was part of a team which came 21st.

Calum Tinsdale was 252nd in the boys intermediate.

It was the first time in recent years that the county had been able to field eight athletes entered in each age group and finish the course.

The county’s best team performance of the day was the senior boys teams who placed 20th out of the 45 sides.