CITY of Salisbury’s rising star Bea Wood moved up another level at the English Schools' Cup Finals by beating the entire field in her age group to become national title holder.

The 13-year-old South Wilts pupil took the 2,000m race at Formby by storm after holding off her nearest rival by four seconds, writes John Ruskin.

Rose Warren finished a good 53rd in the same race, contributing to the school’s 11th place overall.

In the junior boys’ finals, Oliver Phillips did well for 26th and he was followed by Lucas Bailey 43rd and Theo Cochrane 92nd to earn Bishop Wordsworth’s a well-earned 10th overall.

At Popham, near Basingstoke, in the Hampshire League cross country series, several City of Salisbury athletes improved their previous finishing positions.

Nile Battey in the under 15s took a fine 20th spot, as did Alex Mundell in the senior ladies’ race where she was followed by Charlotte Ingram 54th, Aly Sloane 92nd and Tasha Mundell 99th.

Ellen Tilley was 54th in the under 15 girls, while in the under 13s Alice Oliffe-Lee was 32nd and Ellena Bessey 50th.

For the senior men, Ed O’Gorman again ran strongly to take a creditable 49th place, followed by Andy Holme 88th, Reece Ingram 91st, Kevin Tilley 109th, Mark Glanville 114th and Richard Larcombe 165th.