Hannah England was struggling to fight back the tears after securing her place in Great Britain’s team for next month’s European Championships by winning the 1,500m national title in Birmingham.

The Oxford City athlete has suffered disappointments at previous trials, missing out on the 2008 Olympics and last year’s World Championships.

But on Saturday she was in no mood to be denied this time at the European Trials and UK Championships at Alexander Stadium.

England, who has already achieved the A standard, sealed her ticket to Barcelona by winning a pedestrian women’s 1,500m final in 4mins 33.23secs.

In a final-lap sprint, England fended off second-placed Celia Taylor (4.33.81) and world silver medallist Lisa Dobriskey (4.34.29), who took third.

“The last couple of years I have literally been sat in the corridor crying my eyes out and I was so scared that it was going to happen again,” she said.

“It hasn’t and I’m so happy, maybe I’ll cry down the corridor anyway!

“I’ve managed to put another good year together and the consistency is paying off.

“I did try altitude training for the first time this year and that seems to be paying off.”

England added of the slow pace: “The first few laps were slow, but that suits me.

“I was surprised that the other girls let it go like that as it plays into my strength because I know I’ve got a strong finish.

“I didn’t know how far ahead I was at the end, I didn’t want to look at the screen, but I’m really happy, I can’t believe it.

Fellow Oxfordshire star Nathan Douglas shrugged off his injury problems to come second in the men’s triple jump behind Phillips Idowu with a leap of 17.03m in the opening round.

And Hatti Dean finished second in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase, just missing out on the A qualifying time.

“I know I’ve got the A-time in me so I’ll get in a race next week and give it everything,” she said.