HUNDREDS of local schoolchildren braved the frost for the annual West Northumberland Area Cross Country Championships, held at Ovingham Middle School.

The conditions were solid under foot due to a big freeze overnight, but that did not stop the hardy youngsters from Tynedale’s schools from putting in some great displays in the district-wide competition.

The course is often described as a challenging one and is usually covered in mud, but that wasn’t the case on Monday as frost and the biting cold weather were the main obstacles in 2016.

The children were all competing for the chance to represent Tynedale Schools in the Northumberland finals at Temple Park, in South Shields, on January 17, where they will come up against the cream of the crop from elsewhere in the county.

The next step takes them to Cumbria on February 4 for the inter-counties stage, with the English Schools finals taking place in Norwich on March 18.

It was a successful day for Hexham’s Queen Elizabeth High School as they had three Tynedale champions, the trio looking to push on and claim the county titles too.

Alex Wood, the winner of the senior boys’ race, has a great chance to improve on his bronze medal from last year’s event as he targets gold.

Ponteland Middle School also tasted success at the West Northumberland event, producing a number of gold medalists in the younger age groups.