KENT athlete Charlotte Dale steps up the preparations for the defence of her European Junior Cross-Country title this weekend.

The Invicta East Kent athlete, from Whitstable, is planning to compete at the Reebok Birmingham Cross Challenge, in Senneleys Park, on Saturday.

The 19-year-old, who will be defending her European title in Edinburgh on December 14, is planning to run two races in one afternoon.

She will compete in the under-20 women’s 4km race, as well as the senior women’s 6km race which gets underway only 50 minutes later.

Dale doubled-up at the same meeting last year as part of her European preparations.

She won her age-group race by 26 seconds, before finishing second in the senior women's race to Reebok series champion Hayley Yelling.