There will be a family outing for the Heaths of Hastings at the Sussex Cross Country Championships at Lancing.

Athletics seems to attract twins but rarely are there complete families competing at the same venue.

Back in the late Seventies and early Eighties, the prodigious Howard family from Worthing were all to be seen in action at Sussex Cross Country Championships.

Their line-up comprised dad Cliff, mum Virginia, daughter Tracy and twin boys Mark and Kevin and all but Mum won county titles either on the track or over the country.

Mark became a four-minute miler while Tracy was a mara-thon international.

Success Her name, along with those of the twins, still appears in Sussex all-time top ten lists.

For the Heaths, such success is still to come.

Having moved to Hastings from Essex 18 months ago, Julie, who had been Essex 3,000m champion, made her Sussex championship debut in the county veterans championships at Bexhill last month and finished fifth but Les had to withdraw from the men's race because of injury.

Mum and the twins, who had both run for Essex as under-13s, made their cross country debuts for Sussex in the Southern Women's Inter County Championships just before Christmas.

Now in the under-15 age group, the twins will be pressing for medals in their event at Lancing.

Julia said: "It is great to be able to go as a family to cross country events.

"We obviously have an interest in each other's performances and it is much easier if Les and I are running to know the girls are also racing instead of just being dragged along for the afternoon.

"Equally we have a greater interest in what is happening to other athletes in the younger age groups, particularly as the twins move through the levels.

Les added: "It is useful for training because we can do some of our sessions together.

"The twins do not do as much training as Julie and I but they can take part in some of the sessions and we keep an eye on their training programme."

The youngsters are delighted to see their parents competing.

They enjoy the fact that the family members can support each other and share in successes and disappointments.

- Reg Hook