THE best runners from across Blackburn and Darwen will be returning to Witton Park in the new year to represent the borough in the Lancashire Secondary Schools Cross Country Championships.

The top eight runners in each group – from Year Seven to Sixth Form – qualify for county finals, to be which will be held on Saturday, February 7, where they will be up against Lancashire’s best young cross county runners.

Girls Year Seven: Amy Davies (St Bede’s), Natasha Pim (OLSJ), Alesha Hill (St Bede’s), Mia Salesbury (Westholme), Natasha Olsweski (QEGS), Charlotte Collin (DACA), Olivia Blow (St Wilfrid’s), Ebony Farrington (OLSJ).

Year Eight: Demi Aspinall (DACA), Megan Dewhurst (Darwen Vale), Anna Lonsdale (Westholme), Lucy Lambert (Westholme), Nicole Edwards (St Bede’s),Chloe Bleeks (Witton), Ione Smith (Witton), Lucy Gregson (St Wilfrid’s).

Year 10/11: Aleena Awan (Pleckgate), Olivia Wilson (St Wilfrid’s), Brenna McPartlan (St Bede’s), Eleanor Collins (DACA), Taylor King (DACA), Bailey Thompson (Westholme), Zaynab Hafji (Pleckgate), Charlotte Berry (Westholme).

Boys Year Seven: Matthew Ramsden (St Bede’s), Ethan Rickard (DACA), Leon Thomas (St Wilfrid’s), Anthony Beresford (St Bede’s), Ethan Smith (St Bede’s), Thomas Perricone (Westholme), Jimmy Walpole (DACA), Joseph Smith (DACA).

Year Eight/Nine: Kasper Gluc (St Bede’s), Charlie Obank (QEGS), Joe Gebbie (St Bede’s), Jack Prince (DACA), Ryan Chatburn (Witton), Wesley McKeefry (DACA), Arsalan Mobie (Pleckgate), Max Dawson (QEGS).

Year 10/11: Byrom Abbott (St Bede’s), Zak Hargreaves (DACA), Nick Smith (St Wilfrid’s), John Mather (St Wilfrid’s), Bradley Logan (Witton), A Townsow (QEGS), J Watson (QEGS), Chris Olive (St Wilfrid’s).

Sixth form: Joseph Campbell (Blackburn College), Rob Buckley (QEGS), Chris Richardson-Dulling (QEGS), Nick Cooper (QEGS), Shoab Ahmed (DACA).