Surrey claimed the intermediate girls’ title at the English Schools’ Championships in Heaton Park on Saturday – despite being without their star runner.

Howard of Effingham schoolgirl Emelia Gorecka, winner of the previous weekend’s UK Inter-Counties U20 title, decided not to seek the necessary special dispensation from UK Athletics to run, deciding instead to focus on the forthcoming World Cross Country Championships in Poland.

In her absence, training partner Ruth Haynes led Surrey to team gold in finishing third (13:29), also gainin selection for England’s team to compete in tomorrow’s Home Schools cross country international in Truro.

Surrey’s Susan Shiel Rankin fifth (13:31), while Poppy Disley-May, who goes to St Teresa’s, Effingham, was the fourth Surrey scorer in 32nd (14:20).

Sophie Storey, a pupil at Manor House, Leatherhead, was 116th (15:11).

Sutton schoolgirl Grace O’Leary led the Surrey team to the silver medals in the senior 4.5km race.

O’Leary, who attends Wallington High School, came 11th out of almost 300 runners in 16 minutes, one second, less than a minute behind the race winner.

The previous weekend, she had also helped Surrey win the silver medals in the U17s race at the UK Inter-Counties Championships.

This meant she missed Sutton’s mini marathon trials and, like Tom Holden, has been excluded from their teams for the Virgin London Marathon on April 25.

Waverley’s Ciara Dullaghan was Surrey’s second runner home, in 25th (16:28).

Tiffin’s Molly Renfer and Maddie Garner were the fifth and sixth scoring members of the medal-winning team, finishing 74th and 112th in 17:28 and 18:07.

Rosebery, Epsom, schoolgirl Lucy Drummond was the fourth member of the silver medal-winning junior girls’ team, finishing 58th in 10:48.

Suzannah Monk, who also goes to St Teresa’s, was fifth scorer, finishing 99th in 11:02.

Surrey’s boys were fifth overall, with the juniors taking the silver team medals.

Epsom College pupil Joe Toomey was the third member of the Surrey senior boys’ team which finished 13th. He was 122nd, clocking 26:33.

Wilson’s Jordan Maurice lead the intermediate boys’ team home in 52nd (20:21).

Sutton Grammar’s Ed Saywell was the third Surrey finisher in 110th (20:50). The team finished 19th.