Bromsgrove and Redditch Athletics Club secured promotion to division two of the Birmingham Cross Country League in the final fixture of the season at Chelmsley Wood on Saturday, February 12.

Despite some of the club's top runners absent through illness and injury, Bromsgrove and Redditch's points score of 199 was good enough for third place on the day and clinched the overall runners-up spot behind Warwick University and just ahead of Gloucester AC.

Leading Bromsgrove and Redditch home over the muddy 9km course was Birmingham University PhD student James Adie who finished in seventh in 35 minutes 22 seconds.

Kevin Lanckham was next home in 16th place (36.51) followed closely by 18-year-old Dave Henderson who ran for 22nd (37.15).

Steve Clewes continued his return to form in 43rd (39.05) just ahead of Ian Keyte who produced another solid performance in 46th (39.35).

Barry Cooke completed the scoring team in 65th (40.51) with Phil Anderson finishing 75th (41.47).

Saturday sees B&R runners in action at Cofton Park, near Longbridge, which is hosting the English National Cross Country Championships for the first time.

More than 2,000 club athletes are expected to toe the line for the senior men's 12km race which starts at 3pm.