Branthwaite athlete Olivia Mason is celebrating again after clinching victory in the UK inter-county cross country championship at Loughborough.

Olivia, 15, completed the 4km course in 15.22 minutes to finish 13 seconds ahead of her nearest rivals and take the U15 title.

The talented teenager won the U13 title at the same event two years ago and is continuing her cross-country success.

The top eight athletes from each county were at the event and Olivia was also up against the Scottish and Welsh national champions who she beat into second and third respectively.

Proud mum Natalie said: “It was a very fast start due to the sharp bend about 400 metres into the race, so they wanted to be clear for that so they didn’t get caught.

“Then normally a race relaxes as they get into it but this one didn’t.

“It was a tough and undulating course but Olivia kept applying the pressure and upped a gear about half a mile from the finish.”

Olivia’s younger sister Anna was also competing, finishing 33rd in the U13 event after a good run.

And Workington’s Oliver Dustin started well as one of the younger runners in the U17 race and finished 59th.

Next up this coming weekend is the English Schools Championships in Norwich where England vests are up for grabs, for the top eight finishers in each age group.

The selected few will then compete in the Schools International in Wales on March 25.