The Sussex Schools' Year Seven and Eight Cross Country Championships has proved worth saving.

The event was under threat when plans to stage it at Ardingly College were scrapped due to foot-and-mouth concerns. But 280 youngsters competed for four titles after a new venue was found at Imberhorne School, East Grinstead.

Organiser Sean Gilham said: "I was very pleased with the response. We were expecting the change of venue to cause some to drop out but the numbers held up very well and there was plenty of enthusiasm.

"Imberhorne were very helpful, with some of their Year Nine students doing the marshalling."

Gilham, who is also Sussex Schools cross country team manager, added: "Although we will miss the opportunity to go to the Inter-Counties this year because of cancellation, it is useful that we have managed to save the county championship. It was a good experience for many, particularly for the Year Seven runners who had their first real test of this standard of competition."

Dorothy Stringer pair Rowan James and Sam Rigby, plus Lisa Vickery (St Margarets, Midhurst) and Natalie Hungrecker (Blatchington Mill) won gold medals in muddy conditions.

The Year Eight boys produced the best battle and Rowan provided the shock of the day when he got the better of Scott Randall (Tanbridge House), Richard Hoad (Steyning) and Daniel Stepney (Longhill). They had all beaten him in last month's Sussex Schools Under-15s Championship.

Scott made the early pace ahead of Richard and Daniel with Rowan off the pace. But Rowan timed his race to perfection, coming through to take the lead at the start of the last of the four laps and win by 20 metres.

In the Year Eight girls' event, Lisa led virtually from start to finish. Nicky Rhodes (Chailey) was second.

Natalie outstripped the field in the Year Seven girls' event to win by 16 seconds, the largest margin in the shortest race. Sam emerged at the head of the Year Seven boys' race late to win from schoolmate Tom Ward.

The races produced a fine climax to a fragmented season but it is unfortunate the youngsters will miss the opportunity to represent Sussex at the Inter-County Schools Championship which was due to be held at Southampton on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Sussex Schools executive committee have decided that all the athletes selected for the cancelled All England Schools Cross Country Championships at Chelmsford will receive a county tracksuit and vest.