CROFT Ambrey Running Club’s Toby Austin topped the class in the annual Pete Tyler Trophy contest.

Austin led Ambrey to victory in 17.16 in muddy conditions against strong opposition from Lucton School.

Henry McNab won the shield for the first current pupil home for Lucton School, closely followed by Tom Lawley.

Seven-year-old Freddie Ammonds, whose dad Chris plays cricket for Ludlow, was the youngest current Lucton pupil nd he recorded a respectable time of 25.12.

Lucton’s headteacher Gill Thorne said: “It was a wonderful turn-out from both Lucton School and Croft Ambrey Running Club and I thank everyone who helped make the day so successful.”

She added: “This was my 11th year in the race and it’s a fantastic event, one we are very proud to be involved in. Hopefully, Lucton will be victorious next time.”

It was a particularly muddy course and a host of runners looked like they had suffered at least one mud-covering fall along the way.

The school are allowed to field Old Luctonians and families - and anyone with a legitimate connection to the school.

Sometimes Lucton School defeat Ambrey through superior numbers but it wasn’t to be on this occasion.

The starting line saw 38 Lucton School runners and just three fewer for the running club.

The start line was just behind the Croft Castle car park and the runners made their way up the steady incline to the summit at Croft Ambrey.

Runners returned through the woods and Fishpool Valley and finished after a final climb out of the valley and returned to the starting point.