COMPETITORS turned out in droves in the sunshine over the holiday weekend to take part in the Easter Eggstravaganza series of four trail races.

The first event, on Friday, was from Rayne and offered a choice of 6.5 or 12 miles. On Saturday the action moved to Little Baddow for a 10 km race. Bannister Green was the venue for Sunday’s seven-mile trail and the final race, on Monday, was 6.8 miles from Purleigh.

Organized by Howard Jardine of Grange Farm and Dunmow Runners (GFDR), the ‘Taming of the Shoe’ trail on Sunday started from the Three Horseshoes at Bannister Green.

The course, which ran across fields around Felsted, attracted 112 runners, including 14 from GFDR. The race was won by Roy Reed in 47 minutes. For GFDR, Kath Birks, John Hardy, Sarah McLagan and Emma Pitcher were fastest, finishing together in 60 minutes, and followed a few seconds later by Wendy Staines. Lee Prowse finished in 1hr 8min, followed by Karen Rowntree and Tim Rowntree in 1hr 15min. Richard Percy in 1hr 18min was just one minute ahead of Nick Laughton and Edward Laughton. Steve Downing completed the course in 1hr 25min followed by Gavin Foster in 1hr 26min and Richard Staines in 1hr 35min.

The first race in Grange Farm and Dunmow Runners’ grand prix series, the Tilty Hilly five miles, will take place from Great Easton on June 5. Application forms available at grangefarmdunmowrunners.co.uk.