A record field turned out at Hunworth for the Break Charity five-mile race round the picturesque Stody Estate. On a bright, sunny morning there was a good showing of North Norfolk Beach Runners among the competitors taking on the challenging course in aid of the Sheringham-based charity.

A record field turned out at Hunworth for the Break Charity five-mile race round the picturesque Stody Estate. On a bright, sunny morning there was a good showing of North Norfolk Beach Runners among the competitors taking on the challenging course in aid of the Sheringham-based charity.

Jeff Dodds was first Beach Runner home in a tremendous 14th place, closely followed by John Leach, just five seconds back in a time of 39:04.

Next in were Ian and Jamie Wade, separated by just one second and a little further back, Emma and Ross Haddow. Jonathan Folkard made up the contingent of runners from the Cromer club.

At the same time, three Beach Runners were taking part in the last race of the Horsford Cross Country Series. Rob Kett had an outstanding run to finish third overall in a blistering time of 44:35.

Running one less lap, Claire Donovan was ninth in the ladies' race. Her time of 47:21 beat her previous best for the course by more than half a minute, while Susan Foye finished a very creditable second in her age group with a time of 49:25.

The previous day, two Beach Runners had travelled to the Leicestershire village of Harby to take on the notoriously muddy and challenging Belvoir Challenge, run over 16 miles of tracks and fields around the beautiful Belvoir Estate.

In a huge field of over 700, Jeremy Bolam finished 25th in a time of 2hr 12min, despite losing at least six places after a lengthy diversion at an unmarked turning. Seventy-four year old Malcolm Ball did better with his route-finding and came in a superb 167th.

On the road this weekend, the Wymondham 10 and 20-mile races gave a couple of the faster Beach Runners the chance to test out their winter training.

Darren Neale put in an astonishing run on the open, windy lanes around the south Norfolk town to finish 14th in a strong field in a personal best time of 1-04:38. The fast-improving Colin Stark also ran a personal best, despite the conditions, with a superb 1-07:51 giving him 23rd place. Further down the field, Ian Jarvis ran well for 104th place and Clare Donovan was 152nd.

In the 20-mile race, the redoubtable Guy Sheppard, veteran of numerous marathons, got round the arduous course in a highly creditable 2-56:57 for 120th place.