Charlotte Browning, one of the county's most promising young athletes, kicked off the New Year by winning her second successive Sussex junior cross country title.

The Chichester runner, a national champion who claimed the county under-13s crown at Lancing last year, completed the double when she triumphed at under-15s in Stanmer Park, Brighton.

Charlotte, who won the South of England inter-county under-15s title last month, cruised home.

The UK under-15 1,500m track champion had a 20-second advantage over the Heath twins, from Hastings, but was never put under pressure.

Cheryl Heath was second with sister Jenna third.

Tom Bilham won the boys' event two years after becoming a surprise winner of the under-13 title at Bexhill.

The Chichester runner got the better of Todd Leckie (Hailsham), a close rival all season.

Alan Ndikuiryo (Brighton and Hove) was third on his debut after entering at the last minute when a football match he was involved in was postponed because of a frozen pitch.

He squeezed out county under-15s 3,000m champion Rob Mullett (Lewes).

Samantha Webb (Crawley) and Craig Ivemy (Hailsham) continued their under-17s dominance this season.

Samantha, third last year, was in a class of her own, steaming into the lead from the gun and stretching her advantage during the three-mile race to win by nearly one minute from Philippa Aukett (Worthing), sixth last year.

The winner clearly benefitted from frequent racing against senior competition this season.

Clubmate Hayley Stanton, the under-15s winner three years ago, managed to get the better of Philippa's twin sister Lucy for the bronze medal, while Mary Ross (Lewes), runner-up in 1999, was fifth.

In the boys' race, last year's under-15 champion Ivemy had a fine battle with Mark Barham (Hastings), the under-15 champion from two years ago.

The girls' under-13 race produced a surprise when Emily Goodall (Crawley) turned the tables on clubmate Dominique Daly, who had the better of their earlier encounters this season, to win by 20 seconds.

Jodie Hallett (Phoenix), in her first race of the season following injury, took the bronze medal. Dominique and Jodie were third and fourth last year with Emily absent.

Alex Ambridge (Hastings) won the boys' race after only taking up the sport in the summer. He pipped Mark Burchett (Worthing) by one second.

It was a repeat of his victory over the same runner in the Sussex League at Lancing .

Darren Tremble (Crawley), who won at Crawley, took the bronze medal.