Woodstock Harriers’ James Bolton defied the sweltering conditions to storm to an impressive victory in the Didcot 5.

The vet 40 runner showed a clean pair of heels to his younger rivals by by crossing the line in 25mins 38secs.

That was more than a minute head of White Horse Harriers’ Jonathan Cornish, who finished second in 26.47.

Gary Crone, who is from Kidlington, but is not attached to a club, came third in 28.15.

Oxford City’s Stuart Thorp took the vet 60 honours in 14th place overall in 31.11. Headington Road Runners’ Jessica Bruce won the women’s race in 31.50.

Alchester’s Samantha Usher was the first vet 35 female home in 32.16, while Headington Road Runners’ Sandra Wolanski led home the women’s vet 45 contingent in 34.37.

Eynsham’s Kate Williamson took the female vet 55 honours in 36.50.

RESULTS

(top 20, senior men unless stated)

1 J Bolton (Woodstock Harriers, MV40), 25.38, 2 J Cornish (White Horse Harriers) 26.47, 3 G Crone (unattached, MV40) 28.15, 4 K Game (Woodstock Harriers) 28.37, 5 R Skilbeck (Headington Road Runners, MV40), 29.18, 6 T Price (Swindon Harriers, MV40) 29.46, 7 J Woods (Headington Road Runners) 30.17, 8 S Roberts (Handy Cross Joggers, MV40) 30.24, 9 T Clarke (Headington Road Runners) 30.35, 10 C Ellis (Witney Road Runners) 30.43, 11 D Allaway (Reading Road Runners) 30.45, 12 D Thatcher (Wargrave Runners) 30.52, 13 A Weeks (Alchester) 31.04, 14 S Thorp (Oxford City, MV60) 31.11, 15 G Bridges (Eynsham, MV40) 31.15, 16 B Kirsopp (Reading Joggers, MV50) 31.31, 17 J Moss (Kidlington, MV40) 31.41, 18 E Taylor (unattached, MV50) 31.48, 19 J Bruce (Headington Road Runners, SW) 31.50, 20 J Finnigan (Kidlington) 31.51.