A TEAM of cross-country runners from a Guisborough school will mount a challenge for national honours tomorrow.

The inter boys team from Laurence Jackson School will compete against the best young runners from around the country in the English Schools National Cross-Country Finals at Hartford in Cheshire.

The boys earned their place in the finals after winning the Cleveland qualifier at Stewart's Park, Middlesbrough in October and then producing a magnificent team effort to take the Northern final at Allertonshire School, Northallerton last month.

In a field of 72 runners, the Laurence Jackson team finished in the following positions: Scott Dixon 2nd; Carl Booth 4th; Jonathan Corner 17th; Luke Tucker 22nd; Richard Playforth 34th; Michael Knight 36th.

The year seven/eight girls' team from Allertonshire School also qualified to compete in tomorrow's finals.

They headed the field along with a very strong team from Valley Gardens School, but determination and training paid off as the team finished on 35 points, three ahead of Valley Gardens.

The squad consisted of Jo Adams (2nd), Rosie Adams (6th), Katie Roberts (13th), Jennifer Crewdson (14th), Abbie Thompson (20th) and Becky Sadler (22nd). Reserves were Lucy Collier and Stacey Lambert.

The year nine boys team of Andrew Lagan, James Bell, Thomas Mountain, Thomas Barker and Stuart Dunn had their work cut out against year ten boys, but they battled courageously on the slippery, wet course to finish as the seventh team.

The year seven/eight boys finished a superb fourth, missing out on the national final by one place. Team members were Douglas Roberts, Josh Miers, Shane Darby, Chris Horner, Andrew Ramsbottom and Nathan Hemingbrough.