Headington's Steve Male secured the Oxfordshire 10-Mile Championship in excellent conditions at the Cotswold Classic road race at Witney.

Male came second in Sunday's event, run on a scenic and hilly course in hot weather, finishing behind Bourton Road Runner Mike Smith, who took his second title in three years with a fine display of front running.

Smith clocked 54mins 50secs in finishing almost one and a half minutes outside Jerry McCarthy's course record.

After opening up a 100m lead in the first mile on the testing uphill stretch to Leafield, he was not seriously troubled.

Smith gained over ten seconds a mile in the final six miles to come home one minute and 16 seconds ahead of Male.

Greg Dell, from Woodstock Harriers, and Woodstock's Tony Lock finished third and fourth respectively in 56.33 and 56.48, with Lock's effort giving him county silver.

Smith now intends to step up to 100km races, joining clubmate Dennis Walmsley and Dell, who are travelling to Taiwan to represent their country at that distance this autumn.

An improving Peter George (Woodstock) took county bronze and fifth overall placing with 57.55 ahead of Witney's Michael Baillie, who registered 58.23.

Bryan Vaughan (Woodstock), in seventh place, took another vet 50 title with teammate Mike Shipway leading the vet 60 category.

The vet 40 title went outside the county to Paul Levell, of Birmingham, running for Birchfield.

Woodstock won the open team competition - with their quartet of Dell, George, Vaughan and Shipway - with the home club, Witney (Lock, Baillie, Clack and Ellis), the first county team.

The women's race was always going to be a close affair between two Witney runners, Nicola Gomm and Sally Pitts, with Gomm taking the title in 1.09.54, half a minute in front of Pitts (1st LV35).

The other age category titles went to Julie Simmonds (Herts Phoenix) in the LV45 and Kate Williamson (Eynsham) in the LV55. Witney also took the women's team title.

The best entry for this event in six years ensured the county championship would be competitive, and the titles were spread around several clubs.

James Percival (Alchester) triumphed in the Vet 40 category. Witney, however, reversed the open race team result to pip Woodstock by one point.

In addition to Gomm (overall champion and LV35 winner), there were other Witney successes for Natasha Rhymes (senior lady) and Judith Le Good at LV45.

Only Williamson, in the LV55 category, spoilt a Witney clean sweep.