A YOUNG runner has been picked to run in a national cross country championships, despite only taking up the sport last year.

Lucy-Erin Hunter, 11, a student at Hummersknott Academy, started running competitively after joining the school in September and has since gone on to success in local, regional and national competitions.

After winning the Darlington School’s Competition and placing second the County Durham competition, she was picked to represent the region in her age range at the Northern Inter County Schools Cross Country Championships earlier this month.

The event was held on a cold wintery day in Kirby Stephen, in Cumbria, when Lucy-Erin saw off competition to beat some of the North’s top school runners on a challenging, frozen course.

After her success, Lucy-Erin and two other Hummersknott students, Jamie Wood,13, and her brother Tom, also 13, travelled to London to run in the National Cross Country Under 13 event, held at Parliament Hill.

Lucy-Erin finished 68th out of 369 girls, while Jamie finished 133rd and Tom 199th out of 373 competitors.

Lucy-Erin said: “ My brother Tom runs too and he inspired me late in the summer to join Darlington Harriers.

“I was shocked and overwhelmed to come first in the race at Kirby Stephen. I overtook the leader on the climb up the final hill and then just raced as fast as I could for the line.

“I am looking forward to racing again next year, when I will be old enough to progress to the national finals if I do as well as I did this year.”