TV star at village 10k

ABOUT 120 runners took part in the Stoke Row 10km on Sunday.

The race, which started and finished on the village playing fields, raised £1,200 for IT equipment at the primary school. There were also three children’s events which attracted 60 runners.

Naturalist and TV presenter Steve Backshall was watching with friends and signed autographs for children.

Roger Gill, 34, from Brightwell, near Wallingford, won the race in a time of 37 minutes and 21 seconds.

The highest-placed woman was Belinda Tull, 42, from South Stoke, who finished 12th overall with a time of 42 minutes and 36 seconds.David Pryce, 37, was the best-placed finisher from Stoke Row as he crossed the line in ninth place after 41 minutes and 47 seconds.

Mr Pryce, who is chairman of governors at the school, last year ran 80 miles in less than 18 hours to raise money for new classrooms.

The children’s races were split into age categories. The winner of the under sevens group, who ran 600m, was Sebastian Bourne, six, in a time of two minutes and 41 seconds. Lucy Gryce, nine, won the 1,200 race for children aged eight to 12 with a time of four minutes and 36 seconds and Theo Lock, seven, won the 2,400m race for 12- to 15-year-olds in 10 minutes and four seconds.

Results and pictures will be published in next week’s Henley Standard.