SOUTHEND-ON-SEA Athletic Club enjoyed great success at the Essex County Cross Country Championships.

Southend’s Tom Frith came away from the competition having won individual gold.

As a result, Southend were eighth of 24 teams that took part.

Lee Taylor, the county vets’ silver medallist, came in 24th place.

The Southend women’s under-20 team notched team gold.

Chelmsford’s Jodie Judd claimed a runaway win, while Annabel Matthews-Smith, Iona Doyle, Ellen Williams and Natasha Walter placed sixth through to ninth.

The men’s under-17s, made up of Sam Norris, Harry Smith, Tom Stuttle, Matthew Norris and Craig Wheeler, won silver in their category.

Kerry Holland won individual bronze while Sarah Pennington, Natasha Lagden, Kasia Kostyrka-Allchorne, Sue Cribbs and Debbielyn Hallam all finished in the top half of the field.

The women’s under-17s, with Joanna Rimmington, Jenna Williams and Mia Slesser making up Southend’s three runners, missed out on a medal. Havering was the only club to have the full compliment of runners.

Dominic Le Mare, meanwhile, was the only men’s under-20 representative. Despite his best efforts, Le Mare was unable to win a medal.

It was also a day to remember for Benfleet Running Club.

Sinead Clark, who was competing in the women’s under-17s race, finished in fifth place.

The impressive run has automatically secured a place for Clark in the UK Inter-counties Cross Country Championships, which will be held in March.

It will be Clark’s third consecutive appearance at the competition.

Under-17 runner Dexter Goward and Kieran Feltham, of the under-20s, finished 25th and 18th respectively in their age groups.

The senior ladies and men’s teams both secured 10th place in the Team Championships.

Jacqui Watson, Kate Wilkinson, Jayne Stacey, Kelly McClenaghan, Mandy Cooper and Sarah Norton all placed in the top 90 runners to score for Benfleet.

Andrew Low, who finished in 32nd place, scored for the men’s team along with George Watts, Terry Spooner, Graham Booty, Alan Clark and Nick Rankin.

Annette Johnson and Laura Williams also competed for the Benfleet women’s team.

Richard Jones, Brian Venton, Mike Grout and Stephen Burton failed to score for the men’s contingent.