KENT athlete Janine Brown was delighted to secure her place in the British Police team for their European cross-country championships with a fine display in the National Police UK championships at Pontypool.

It was a real test for the Ashford AC member who took a superb third place out of 115 finishers to get an automatic slot for the championships in France on March 16.

Brown said: "I can honestly say in 13 years of running I have never run a course like it.

"Pontypool Park was very mountainous, with a 700 foot and a 500 foot climb part of the course, basically going up one side and very steep down the other."

She finished in 34:25 for the 6km run having led on the second lap but taking a nasty fall on the steep descent.

"It was a scary course, very muddy, steep and a small stream to contend with. It was great to get a bronze in my last run in a British Transport Police vest."

She joins Kent Police in April and is moving back to Folkestone.