NORTH Norfolk Beach Runners have been out in force at local races in the past week with 30 members of the Cromer club competing in three different Norfolk races.

The Edingthorpe four attracted a good entry once again in support of All Saints' Church. The enthusiastic field were soundly beaten by the brilliant performance of Steve Jones with a lightning-quick time of 21:26 for his 100th top two race finish.

John Christopher and Jack Houghton joined Steve Jones in the top 10 clocking identical times of 26:02 whilst Simon Page and Terry Quigley crossed the line seconds apart in 15th and 16th places respectively.

Other Beach Runners enjoying the rural lanes around Edingthorpe were Rob and Andi Osborne, Keith Dickens, Shelley Burton and Claire Dunnett.

Chris Merrylees and Paul Muffett both put in outstanding performances at the Wymondham 10 Mile Race with Chris breaking the tough one hour barrier for the distance as he finished fifth in a blistering time of 59:09.

Paul Muffett continued his remarkable season edging close to the hour barrier for an eighth place finish and comfortably winning the 50-55 age group as he clocked 1-01:14.

Paul Cockaday ran an excellent 1-11:19 for 54th place as he continued his return to competitive running and veterans Tony Heath and Alec Fraser were both well inside the 90-minute mark.

Mike Marshall, Andrew Toogood, Emma Culley and Margaret Ison were the other Beach Runners who managed to get round the Wymondham course before the worst of the squally rain blew in.

Ten North Norfolk Beach Runners took on the considerable challenge of the increasingly popular Poppyline Marathon with the distance trio of Vinnie Purdy, Colin Stark and Robbie Britton finishing together at Sheringham in four hours 15 minutes.

Others who took on the 26-mile tour of north Norfolk's trails were John Leach, Lucy Collyer, Dave Spooner, Christine Walker, Christine Thorne, Rob Emery and Nikki Kavanagh whilst Karen Emery ran a half- marathon over part of the course.

Away from Norfolk, the indestructible Malcolm Ball became the oldest man to complete the extremely rugged Kentmere Trail Race, run over 10 miles of the steepest, rockiest Lake District terrain imaginable.

In doing so, Malcolm also took the over 70 age group first prize by some considerable distance.