Woodstock Harriers snatched the Oxfordshire Championships Road Relays senior title at Hook Norton on Sunday.

The event, postponed from April because of the 'foot and mouth' crisis, took place in ideal conditions.

There was a lower than usual attendance this year, with the main contenders being Banbury, Witney, Oxford City Veterans, White Horse Harriers and Woodstock Harriers.

Witney took an early lead over the undulating 3 mile circuit, but were pegged back on the third leg by Woodstock and White Horse Harriers who fought out a tense battle over the last three stages.

Woodstock eventually ran out winners by two minutes, in 1.44.58, as Richard Shipway ran the fastest individual leg of the day in 16.32.

Oxford City veterans took the gold medal in the veteran category, with Woodstock in second place.

Witney juniors Ben Thomas, Gareth Petts and Matt Sissons picked up gold in the under 13 and 15 sections.

Over three laps of the one-mile course, Thomas, Petts and Sissons came home as overall winners in a time of 18 mins 2.06 secs.

Following closely behind were David Ridley, Adam Miles and Lewis Warren in19.08.

Not to be outdone, the under 13 and 15 girls team of Elysia Ridley, Francesca Snare and Hannah Nixon collected the gold medals in a time of 19.23.4.

Petts and Ridley also collected gold medals for the fastest lap times, equal best with 5.52.

Ridley was also awarded the gold for fastest lap in a course record of 5.45.

OXFORDSHIRE AA ROAD RELAY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Senior men: 1 Woodstock Harriers (R Beaumont 16.57, R Linnell 18.16, P Clarke 17.51, G Dell 17.41, R Shipway 16.32, N Baimbridge 17.41) team 104.58; 2 White Horse Harriers (P Jegou 18.22, P Wilson 16.40, D Murfin 18.42, J Cooke 17.26, D Wright 17.38, D Green 17.55) 106.43; 3 Banbury Harriers A (S Andrew 17.59, G Osbourne 19.05, I Robinson 18.38, N Wright 18.05, S Pritchard 17.03, P George 17.28) 108.18.

Veteran men: 1 Oxford City AC (B Green 17.06, J Hehir 19.00, R Grant 18.16, I Avery 18.50, D Wheeler 17.59, J Exley 19.16) 110.27; 2 Woodstock Harriers (R Dunbabin 20.44, M Hurd 18.11, M Townsend 19.08, S Caswell 20.25, V Walker 19.25, M Shipway 19.56) 117.49; 3 Witney Road Runners (R Parsons 17.49, I Duffield 23.19, G Legood 19.41, J Ashton 20.33, J McCormac 21.08, M Kaile 21.58) 124.28.

Boys Under 13/15: 1 Witney Road Runners A (B Thomas 6.07, G Petts 5.52, M Sissons 6.05) 18.04; 2 Witney Road Runners B (D Ridley 5.52, A Miles 6.40, L Warren 6.36) 19.08.

Senior Ladies: 1 Witney Road Runners A (J Ashton 22.06, S Legood 24.08, S Pitts 20.22) 66.36; 2 Banbury Harriers A (M Buzzard 21.15, J Vincent 23.02, V Lears 22.44) 67.01; 3 Hook Norton Harriers A (H Arthur 25.06, B Taylor 23.54, C Peterson-Reagan 21.21) 70.21.

Girls Under 13/15: 1 Witney Road Runners A (E Ridley 5.47, H Nixon 6.42, F Snare 6.55) 19.24.