GEMMA Holloway was not only Thurrock’s star at the Southern Inter-Counties Cross Country match, but she was also Essex’s shining light too.

Palmer’s College student Holloway, 17, was the comfortable winner of the under-20 women’s race in Oxford and led her Essex squad to team silver medals too.

Holloway, inset, was joined in the Essex squad by a couple of younger Harriers.

Hayley Instance led the Essex under-13 girls team into eighth place overall with a fine 16th-placed finish, despite suffering from the after affects of a cold.

Harry Parker, who has another year in the under-13 boys age group, was 32nd in this event and the second Essex scorer in a team that finished seventh. Parker was just 40 seconds behind the winner and this time next year can expect to be much nearer the front.

The Essex women’s team manager, Orsett-based Phil Oatham, can also be pleased with the senior women’s second place overall.

Thurrock’s other performer at the weekend was the indefatigable Pat Dobbs who won the Southern Veteran’s V75 Championship at a very muddy Priory Park in Reigate.

l Former Thurrock Harrier Jessica Judd won a silver medal in the junior women’s race at the European Cross-Country Championships at the weekend.