WARRINGTON Athletics Club's Danny Cliffe finished in an impressive fourth position in the under 17s boys' race at the English National Cross Country Championships at Alton Towers.

Cliffe shared the lead in the closing stages but was pipped for the bronze medal on the hilly Staffordshire course, while Stephen Broadhurst finished sixth, Matt Jackson was 26th and Brian Gallagher was 178th.

As a result, Warrington finished fourth in the team event but retained the Warburton Cup as the highest-finishing team from the north of England.

Tom Jervis overcame a fall to finish 21st in the under 15s boys' race, while Jack Gleave finished 52nd in the under 13s boys' race.

Rachael Jefferson was 64th in the under 15s girls' race, while Amy Talbot was 37th in the under 17s girls' section, with Rhiannon Rainford 71st in the under 20s women's race.