VALE Royal Athletics Club are celebrating an outstanding performance by their women’s team in the National Road Relays Championships at Sutton Park in Birmingham.

In finishing second to achieve the silver medals, Sarah Dufour-Jackson, Holly Weedall, Chloe Dooley and Kate Ward delivered the best result by a Cheshire team – men’s or women’s - in this event since online records started in 1990.

The only previous Cheshire team to finish among the medals was Vale Royal’s women in 2015 when they collected bronze for finishing third.

This time, in what was a close race, Vale Royal clocked 26 seconds more than Herne Hill but were ahead of serial national medallists such as Thames Valley Harriers, Aldershot, Leeds City and Belgrave.

Ward’s run to move Vale Royal up from sixth to second on the last leg was the joint second fastest leg of the day and the fastest time ever by a Vale Royal runner - likely be a Cheshire record too.

The young Vale Royal B team of Ellie Bushill, Grace Roberts and Darcey Murphy plus Hollie Carrington also performed superbly to finish 25th overall and fourth B team which augurs well for the future.

Vale Royal even fielded a C team of Anna Begbie, Clara Pettitt, Meg White and Carolyn Dooley who finished in an excellent 54th place.

Two full men’s teams were also fielded, both having qualified via the Northern Relays two weeks earlier.

The team was equally young, with many making their senior debuts at Sutton Park.

However, they acquitted themselves admirably to finish 45th and 61st (first and third Cheshire Teams).

Results: Senior women, Vale Royal A, second, 58:36: S Dufour-Jackson (15) 14:39, Holly Weedall (2) 14:31, Chloe Dooley (6), 15:15 Kate Ward (2) 14:11.

Senior women, Vale Royal B, 25th, 1:03.24: Ellie Bushill (29) 15:12, Grace Roberts (19) 15:25, Darcey Murphy (21) 16:02, Hollie Carrington (25) 16:45.

Senior women, Vale Royal C, 54th, 1:12:47: Anna Begbie (61) 17:11, Clara Pettitt (58) 17:58, Megan White (57) 18:30, Carolyn Dooley (54) 19:08.

Senior men, Vale Royal A, 45th, 1:55:19: Sam Whitehead (61) 19:12, Isaac Leydon (58) 19:07, James Griffiths (56) 19:20, Thomas Taylor (51) 18:58, Jake Wilson (47) 19:10, Harry Parker McLain (45) 19:32 61.

Senior men, Vale Royal B, 61st, 1:59:43: Matt Rowlinson (68) 20:16, Jacob Brown (68) 19:22, Sam Thomson (67) 20:29, Rhys Bowden (65) 19:50, Oliver Williams (64) 20:15, John Humphries (61) 19:31.