White Horse Harriers' Josephine Rhodes produced a star display for Oxfordshire athletes at the Southern Cross Country Championships at Parliament Hill in London.

It was some consolation for Rhodes, who missed out on the Oxfordshire schools cross country title last week to arch rival Hannah England, who did not run in the London event.

Rhodes, only 15-years-old, finished fifth overall in the combined under 20 and under 17 event over 5km, and won the bronze medal in the under 17 category - her first major championship medal.

The conditions in the capital were treacherous, the course being rendered a sea of mud by the torrential weekend rain.

Rhodes produced an excellent run of 22mins 47secs in her category, only missing out on gold by 14 seconds, as Bedford's Kerry Wootton finished first in a time of 22.33.

Elsewhere, there were strong performances from Headington Roadrunners, whose ladies' team finished fourth overall out of 34 teams.

Their quartet of Kirstie Anderson, Allison Hirst, Iona Robertson and Jude Craft all finishing inside the top 30 in a field approaching 300.

Anderson was the first Headington lady across the line in 37.40, finishing 11th overall, with Hirst cominging 19th in 38.04. Robertson was 23rd (38.32) and Craft 26th (38.57) to seal the excellent fourth place for the team.

Anderson's individual performance was arguably one of the best races of her life in the atrocious conditions.

Lying in 18th place half way around, Anderson pushed on well in the latter stages of the race as the strong wind and driving rain swept across the course.

The men's race brought less success - but some fine individual performances, with White Horse Harriers' Pete Wilson the first Oxfordshire athlete home. He finished 52nd out of a massive field of more than 800, breaking the tape in 57.52. Oxford City's Steve Kimber was close behind in 58.33.

In the junior men's race, White Horse Harriers' Tom Penfold finished 15th in 32.34, while in the under 17s race, Mathew Ashton was the first local athlete home, finishing 22nd in 25.59.

OTHER LOCAL RESULTS

Senior Men: 119 J Cooke (WHH) 1.00.42; 128 P George (Banbury) 1.01.13; M Beerling (Ox City) 1.03.12; 234 P Jegou (WHH) 1.04.59; 276 L McNeil (HRR) 1.06.23, 287 P Mestecky (Banbury) 1.06.44, 304 C Nellins (HRR) 1.07.39; 336 L Hurman (HRR) 1.08.49; 467 N Ponting (WHH) 1.12.52; 472 J Ashton (Witney RR) 1.13.01; 401 H Nickau (HRR) 1.10.38; 494 P Grant (HRR) 1.13.35; 514 D Murfin (WHH) 1.14.03; 515 P Ainsley (Witney RR) 1.14.07; 555 G LeGood (Witney RR) 1.15.45; 608 P Grimsdale (Ox City) 1.17.32; 662 J Worth (HRR) 1.20.08; 748 D Webster (Witney RR) 1.25.48.

Team: 41 Banbury Harriers 2328pts; 44 Headington RR 2479.

Junior Men: 37 A Moreton (Ox City) 35.01.

U17 Men: 49 O Bristow (WHH) 27.12; 32 D Bellinger (Ox City) 26.35; 80 W Devonish (Ox City) 28.18.

Senior Women: 129 H Turley (HRR) 46.38; 144 J Ashton (Witney RR) 47.39; 178 M Fischer (HRR) 50.19; 179 J Vincent (Banbury) 50.23; 204 H Hore (Banbury) 52.44.

Team: 4 Headington RR 76pts; 22 Banbury H 609.