Sullivan Smith, who used to be with Banbury Harriers, and who now runs for Swansea Harriers, returned to win the Banbury 15 Road Race at the weekend.

Even though it was shortened to 14.2 miles because of the foot and mouth outbreak, the race, staged by Banbury Harriers AC, was still a huge success with 398 finishers.

Behind Smith, who won in 1hr 15mins 59secs, came Daventry's Job King in second in 1.17.20, while Banbury's Simon Pritchard was third, four seconds behind.

Sally Pitt finished second in the ladies race at BanburyThey were closely followed by Oxford City's Gerrard Russell and Gavin Felton, of the Army, who is based at Dalton Barracks, Abingdon.

Witney's Tony Lock finished eighth in 1.19.55.

The Army won the team prize, with Banbury Harriers second and Oxford City third.

Lisa Godding-Feltham, of White Horse Harriers, won the senior ladies' prize, coming home in 1.29.27.

Witney's Sally Pitts also had an excellent run on the revised course, finishing as second lady overall and first Veteran 35 in a time of 1.33.20.

Hook Norton's Gisela Payne and Cherwell's Kim Harvey also finished among the leading places. Hook Norton won the ladies' team prize.

The Veteran 40 men's winner was Bryan Vaughan, with Roy Treadwell, of Oxford City, taking Veteran 50 honours.

Ironically, even though organisers Banbury Harriers AC, had deliberately avoided the hamlet of Appletree, which consists of three farms and just two private homes, because they thought that was the right thing to do with the foot and mouth outbreak, they got a surprise during the race.

One of the farmers from the hamlet saw the runners on the route deliberately avoiding Appletree - and complained!

Harriers' Geoff Smith said: "He asked us why we weren't going through the hamlet and when we told him why, he replied that it wouldn't have done any harm at all running along country roads."

Andrew Garner was the first home of the three Abingdon Amblers who took part, finishing in 1.35 for 76th place overall.

Second male Ambler home in 1.40 was Stewart Twinn (120th overall) and first lady was was Zoe Cocksledge (175th) in 1.49.

LEADING TIMES

Men: 1 S Smith (Swansea/Banbury Harriers) 1.15.59, 2 J King (Daventry) 1.17.20, 3 S Pritchard (Banbury) 1.7.24, 4 G Russell (Oxf City) 1.17.44, 5 G Felton (Army) 1.18.35, 6 N Ovington (M Keynes) 1.18.43, 7 Pete Wilson (White Horse) 1.18.51, 8 T Lock (Witney) 1.19.55, 9 B Vaughan (Woodstock Harriers) 1.20.05, 10 J Creak (Army) 1.20.09.

Women: 1 L Godding-Feltham (White Horse) 1.29.27, 2 S Pitts (Witney) 1.33.21, 3 G Payne (Hook Norton) 1.36.51, 4 J Clark (Stourbridge) 1.39.40, 5 T Dyer (Ramsey) 1.41.34, 6 K Harvey (Cherwell) 1.43.11.

OTHER LOCAL TIMES

Witney Roadrunners:18 M Baillie 1.22.55.

Headington Roadrunners: 26 M Bayer 1.25.34, 34 J Thorn 1.28.08, 35 J Starrett 1.28.09, 60 W Atkinson 1.33.16, 62 E Shoesmith 1.33.19, 102 C Slator 1.38.35.

Kidlington R&AC: A Goodyear 1.41.28, Jennings (V50) 1.42.58, T Langrish (V40) 1.44.55, R Allen (SL) 1.49.57.

Abingdon Amblers: 76 A Garner 1.35, 120 S Twinn 1.40, 175 Z Cocksledge 1.49.

White Horse Harriers: 22 J Cooke 1.24.19, P McGregor 2.03.45, J Bumstead 2.05.45, H Green 2.07.27, S Morrison 2.09.20.