COLCHESTER Harriers enjoyed a golden day at the Essex Veterans' Cross-Country Championships, at Writtle College.

Their veterans were in top form and took gold team medals in two of the three races, with bronzes in the other.

They also supplied two county champions.

The veteran ladies got the day off to a superb start, winning their championship by 19 points.

Sarah Stradling was in irresistible form, with the 41-year-old finishing runner up to Liz Davies, of Springfield Striders, over the challenging five-mile course.

Stradling was pleased with her individual silver medal but her excellent run led to team golds for Stradling and Denise Morley (fifth), Ellie Mayne (12th) and Amanda Henry (16th).

Morley continued her amazing run of medals with a double gold, taking the over-45 champion award.

It was silver in the over-55 category for Fran Norris, who is running into a rich vein of form.

Annette Oakman (20th) looked strong and then came Helen Bloomfield (22nd), Steph Horner (43rd), Fran Norris (56th), Tonie Wilson (62nd), Cathy Beard (83rd) and Rachel Rodgers (108th).

Ladies' result: 1 Colchester Harriers 35, 2 Springfield Striders 54, 3 Saffron Striders 65. Also 6th Colchester Harriers (B) 141.

The talented Colin Ridley became individual over-50 county champion with a powerful performance of front running. Ridley won at a canter to help his team-mates to another set of gold medals, with the other men being Paul Spowage (fifth), Andy Raynor (eighth) and Pete West (11th).

The veteran men's over-50s B team nearly pulled off a major shock, missing the podium by just one point and soundly beating the rest of the field of A teams.

Their four scorers were Simon Smith (18th), Dan Foster (20th), David Wright (26th) and Clive Thomas (28th).

Also finishing were Richard Pickering (48th) and over-60 Mick Bond (70th).

Over-50 men's result: 1 Colchester Harriers 25, 2 Orion Harriers 56, 3 Benfleet 91, 4 Colchester Harriers (B) 92.

The veteran men's over-40s team were missing Adrian Mussett (injury) and Allen Smalls (holiday), but still worked hard to win bronze team medals.

Paul Rodgers was the star in tenth spot, followed by Mark Harrod (12th), Richard Heath (17th) and Jon Nears (22nd).

The B team were eighth, thanks to Craig Mitchell (29th), Keith Marley (32nd), Russell Goodridge (40th) and Kevin Higgens (43rd).

Simon Morgan was Harriers' anchor man in 68th.

The under-13 and under-15 championships also took place and Danny Millward took third place and the bronze medal in a very strong under-15 field.

Max Caulfield was at his best in seventh spot.

The under-13 girls saw Milly Presland have the run of her life for fifth place and she will now move onto Essex honours.

In the same race Alexandra Bell-Cobbald was 21st.

The under-15 team battled well, with Jasmine West really excelling in 11th spot, followed by team-mates Mollie Whiteford (19th), Hannah Rodgers (33rd) and Isabella Minder (38th).

Harriers supplied both winners of the latest Castle Park 5km, with Angus Holford winning in 17 minutes and eight seconds and Stacey Eyres repeating the success in 19m 34s.

Elsie Bilson (20m 48s) was runner-up and finishing third man was Fergus Crouch, in 18m 5s.

John Fryer was fourth in 18m 15s and Michael Bates seventh in 19m 27s.