ASHFORD AC's Andy Welch pulled off a thrilling win in the 25th anniversary Folkestone 10-mile road race - but was denied the Kent title.

In a sprint finish for the line Welch held off Thanet Roadrunner Aboura Mahieddine but, having entered on the day, the Folkestone athlete was not eligible to take the county gold medal.

It was a storming finish on a windswept Good Friday, with the Folkestone medical student having to make a sterling fightback into the teeth of the wind after trailing Mahieddine by some 200 metres going into the return leg from Folkestone to Hythe.

It was made all the more difficult with the wind gusting hard but the local man showed his strength to overhaul the Thanet athlete at nine miles and had enough left to hold off Mahieddine who battled to snatch the trophy, and £100 prize money, back in the final straight.

Welch's winning time of 54:02 was slower than his winning time last year but that was not surprising considering the more difficult conditions.

On the outward five mile leg, Welch was a steady third behind pacesetter Madieddine and Peter Tucker, of Blackheath and Bromley, with the wind largly helping from behind.

But the Ashford AC man claimed second spot soon into the return leg and set about hauling back the race leader in fine style.

Mahieddine ended just one second adrift of Welch with 54:03 and the duo were well clear of Tucker who held on for third in 54:53.

The women's race was led from the start, which this year was started by race legend and course record holder Mike Gratton, by the almost invincible Tina Oldershaw of Paddock Wood.

Oldershaw has already claimed the trio of Kent golds in the 20-mile championships and Tunbridge Wells half-marathon for race winner, V35 winner and team winner.