Mark Burgess has battled back from illness to complete a cyclo-cross double.

The 17-year-old from Lewes has bounced back from glandular fever to clinch the London League title after finishing second in the Sussex senior event.

The Lewes Wanderer said: "Having so much success was the last thing I was thinking of when I was ill."

The former Brighton, Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College pupil, one of the county's leading juniors, was struck down after a season of success in which he was second in the British Schools Cycling Association Mountainbike Championships, runner-up in the county pursuit and winner of the Sussex Junior League.

He said: "My illness was debilitating. I was bedridden and did not eat for two weeks. I just could not eat because my glands were so swollen and inflamed.

"I began to exercise slowly for a few weeks but I did not feel it was right to rush things. I couldn't cycle for two months and I missed it."

This winter's cyclo- cross season was a test of whether he could get back to top form.

He said: "I just didn't know how I would do. I'd been told that you never really recover to full strength after glandular fever.

"But I was determined to prove people wrong and make sure I did , although I knew I still had to take things a little easy. That attitude certainly helped me to come back and do so well in the Sussex seniors and the London League."

He won the capital junior trophy by just four points. He amassed 397 to defeat Colin Ansell (Festival, Surrey) in the best-of-eight series.

He also managed to finished 11th overall against the seniors in a series which had more than 100 competitors.

But Burgess was most pleased with his county senior success at Wild Park, Brighton.

He said: "I was delighted and it showed how well I could do at cyclo cross against seniors."

All-rounder Burgess is now building up to the spring and summer seasons, getting back on the road and track.

He said: "I suppose I will specialise eventually, but I love to do all events."

In the meantime he is planning a holiday to the Lake District this month. But he will be combining it with a competition.

He said: "I will take my mountain bike with me to race. I love cycling."