ALMOST 200 people turned out on a sunny but blustery day for the second Chippenham Harriers’ five-mile road race and family fun runs on Sunday.

More than 70 children aged three to 15 took part in the fun runs. Of the 22 under-sevens running the half mile, first home was Lottie Brown from Bratton Primary School.

She finished in three minutes 27 seconds, just five seconds ahead of the quickest boy, Harry Maxwell.

First home in the mile race, out of 49 finishers, was under-13 boy Henry Cox in a blistering five minutes 45 seconds. The first girl home in the under-13 category was Team Bath AC’s Katie Strange, who ran the mile in six minutes 19 seconds.

Race director Mike Bright said: “The event used to be run by Friends of St Mary’s School, but we took it on last year. We have a large youth section for eight to 16-year-olds at Chippenham Harriers, which meets each Wednesday evening at Chippenham Sports Dome.”

Numbers were up about 30 on the previous year for the five-mile road race; 127 competitors lined up at Chippenham Rugby Club to run in the event, which headed out along quiet country lanes to Biddestone village before looping back to the rugby club to the finish.

The top three runners were Simon Nott from Calne Running Club, Ewen Malloch of Team Bath and Chippenham Harriers’ own Gary Dunstone. Mr Nott’s winning time of 25 minutes 54 seconds broke the old course record of 26 minutes 20 held by Allister Sheffield.

The next Chippenham Harriers event is the annual 5K river run and fun run on Wednesday, July 3. Sign up at www.chippenhamharriers.co.uk Entries are open for the Chippenham Half Marathon on September 15. See www.chippenhamhalfmarathon.co.uk/