When last years South of England Cross Country Championships for veterans were postponed due to foot and mouth, the veterans of Herne Hill Harriers were disappointed as the club felt it was in with a shout for individual and team titles.

Last Saturday at Parliament Hill Fields this prediction came true as Mick Boyle and Clare Pauzers both won gold in the postponed championships.

They both took gold as London champions in a combined honours race.

The HHH mens squad, which had such bright prospects last year when the race was due to have taken place, lost two valuable members but fielded Tony Harran, Rob Jacobs and Steve Knight who all ran well to finish in the first 100 of a 400 London Championship field strong field.

The surprise of the day for the Herne Hill contingent in these London Championships was 12-year-old Helena Stegner who raced to victory in the U13 event.

She was originally down to play football but decided to swoop to cross country on the morning of the race.

Dunravens Stacey Holverson had a great run for ninth in the U15 girls and beat some girls that she had been finishing behind recently.

Meshach Faulcner/Roberts ran well for 20th in the U17 race while Sam Kissi worked his way through to eighth after a terrible start when he was baulked by what seemed to be a field of 400.

Louise Dunn finished 62nd in the U13 race.