A record number of 24 Sidmouth Running Club members turned out in force to support the 10th year of the Otter Rail and River Run, writes Terry Bewes.

Race organiser Jo Earlam and the Tipton Playing Field Association pulled out all the stops to put on an extremely enjoyable event.

The race starts in the playing field before crossing the road and then following the path beside the river heading towards Newton Poppleford.

It then crosses the river to Harpford and into Harpford woods to the old railway bridge.

At this point you climb the steps and follow the old railway track back to Tipton then onto Sargent Mill over the bridge and head off towards Fluxton, along a lane heading back towards Tipton, across a field and bridge to enter the top of the playing field and sprint to the finish. It is an undulating off-road run with plenty of challenges to overcome.

In the 1.5 mile fun run the first club runner home was young Alecia Ranson running for the first time in club colours followed some way behind by her mother Janice.

Further back were two members of the 2016 beginners group Sarah Powell and XinHui Yeo running their first race and doing the club proud.

The times for the members contesting the 10k event were: Naomi Garrick, 48:30, Alan Colwill, 51:07, Simon Hollyer, 53:42, Ellen Keast, 54:18, Jon Ball, 57:05, Terry Bewes, 58:17, Sue Collman, 58:20, Becky Robson, 58:21, Helen Palmer, 58:23, Bruce Odlin, 59:14, Richard Hedger, 1:00:41, Amelia Frankpitt, 1:04:24, Diane Collett, 1:07:20, Jennifer Bentley, 1:08:19, Ruth Chesters, 1:12:35, Sue Cunningham, 1:12:38, Caroline Ball, 1:12:46, Lesley Miszewska, 1:12:46, Rebecca Colwill, 1:16:17.

The club had two first age group winners, F45 Naomi Garrick and F70 Sue Cunningham. There were 196 finishers in the 10k.

Thanks goes to David Wright who ran the course before the race started to check all was in order, but he declined the offer to go around one more time.