SOUTHAMPTON-based athlete Andy Morgan-Lee helped Salford Harriers onto the medal podium at the AAA of England National Six-Stage Road Relays at Sutton Park, Birmingham.

His first-leg time of 17 minutes and 37 seconds set the team on the way to overall silver behind mighty Londoners Belgrave Harriers, who lifted the trophy for a third successive year.

Morgan-Lee's second-claim club, Southampton Running Club, had mixed fortunes in the event after a couple of their key runners were forced to drop out. Simon Plummer came down with a very bad cold and Paul Ashley had to withdraw because of family duties.

It meant that the goal of a top-25 place was out of the question and the Southampton team eventually came home 34th.

On the bright side, they were able to blood some up and coming youngsters with Joe Maskell and Matt West both producing promising runs, despite getting some nervous butterflies when they saw the number of internationals in the field.

Rod Finch and Mike Twomey, who are both on the road back to fitness, came through unscathed, while Pete Davies and Ian Robertson had steady runs.

Another Southampton-based athlete, Lucy Elliott, produced the fourth fastest run of the day in the ladies' event, finishing in 14.23. Her club, Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, came fifth overall.

Southampton Running Club leg times: Rod Finch 18.00, Joe Maskell 19.14, Ian Robertson 19.19, Pete Davies 19.39, Mike Twomey 19.41, Matt West 20.12.

Fastest legs: Men - C Davies (Telford) 16.25, R Whalley (City of Stoke) 17.00, G Van Hest (Bedford & County) 17.01; Women - K Reed (Bristol AC) and H Yelling (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow) 14.07; H Lawrence (Wirral) 14.08, L Elliott (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers) 14.23.

Southampton's Christine Currie finished 12th in the Home Orienteering International in Wales. SRC coach Tony Fern said: "Christine has been doing track work to improve her speed and she is already a strong runner, who looks to have a bright future."