Hemyock

The Blackdown Hills were alive to the sound of pounding feet on Sunday as 193 runners tackled the 24th Wellington Monument Bert King Memorial Road Race.

In mild weather conditions the Taunton-based club Running Forever took the John Cooksley team shield. Taunton AC, who had held the shield since 2003, were beaten into second place. The race covered a tough six miles including a mile of bridle path. It started at The Catherine Wheel Inn at Hemyock and finished at the Hemyock primary school.

Peter Hart, race organiser and member of Viridor Waste Management, the main sponsor of the race, said: “It’s probably the hilliest and toughest course of its length on the Blackdown Hills.”

The outstanding individual performance came from Rachel Heard of Taunton AC who finished second to overall winner Sue Walker and broke her own ‘junior lady’ course record with 43mins 5secs.

Junior Jamie Pearson finished second to the overall winner Pete Monaghan (36m 9s) who retained the title he won in 2007.

Sally Tovey, from Hemyock, also retained her ‘local runner’ title and broke her own course record by two minutes.

Patricia Seabrook won the Nigel Stuart-Thorn trophy for women veterans over 65.