The Sussex women's cross country team was decimated by illness for the South of England Inter-county Championships at Bury St Edmunds, but still managed to finish fourth.

County champion Caroline Hoyte (Arena 80) and Julie Mitchell (Haywards Heath) were forced out at the last minute with colds and with them went Sussex hopes of victory.

Manager Paula Satterley said: "I already knew that my daughter Emma and Jo Hinde (Hastings) were recovering from colds and would not be at the best.

"When Caroline and Julie dropped out I knew our chances of victory were dashed. But I'm proud of the way they responded and we did really well to finish fourth."

Crawley's Fiona Clark, making her debut in this event at senior level, had a brilliant run to finish ninth in a high-class field.

Clark has run consistently well in the last six months and she took up the challenge, staying in the leading group in the early stages.

Hinde and Satterley put in fighting efforts to finish close behind in 11th and 15th places and the scoring four were completed by last- minute recruit Nicky McDougal in 46th.

Despite her lack of fitness, Satterley can be well pleased with her run as she finished 37th last year.

For the first time an under-23 race was held in conjunction with the senior event and the leading Sussex runners were all eligible.

Clark was runner-up with Hinde third and Satterley fourth.

McDougal, winner of the Sussex half-marathon title in October, does not often compete at cross county, but she made the Cambridge University team for the traditional Inter-Varsity match and was 12th.

She is thought to be the first Sussex woman to run in the event.

Chris Cheeseman has won the Belgrave seven-mile road walk at Wimbledon at the tenth attempt.

He has finished in the top three five times, but this year only Steyning's Donald Bearman provided him with a challenge.

Bearman was disqualified with the finish almost in sight when it seemed either man could have taken the title.

Road conditions around Wimbledon are now so bad that the race maybe scrapped.

Cheeseman clocked 48min.46sec, nearly ten minutes clear of the eventual second- placed walker Alan Ellam, from Colchester.

Veteran Richard Emsley (Steyning) was fourth in 57min. 48sec. Clubmate Dave Stevens, who is now in the over-60 age group, was 12th in 67min.57sec.

In the women's race, Steyning's Jo Hesketh repeated her second of 12 months ago although her finishing time of 59min.49sec was nearly five minutes faster.

Clubmate Sophie Hales, who is having to increase her distance from her normal 5,000m as she moves into senior racing, did well to finish third in 62min.03sec.