Mike Coleman of Medway and Maidstone AC romped home to defeat a field of 550 athletes on a warm Good Friday morning in the Folkestone 10 mile road race.

The 30-year-old Kent cross country champion, from Dover, is number two in Britain over 10 miles this year after his win at Sidcup last month in just under 50 minutes.

Victory on the Hythe to Folkestone seafront route took 51min 43sec and Coleman led his M&M team mates Adrian Lowther (55.21), Barry Royden (55.35) and Tom Collins (57.03) to a comfortable team win over Paddock Wood, Invicta, Istead and Ifield, Deal Triathletes and Dartford Road Runners.

Lowther was second overall and Royden, third to finish, was awarded the first M40 masters prize ahead of Dartford’s Andrew Green (55.49). Collins (57.03) was seventh overall, a place ahead of M&M’s Gareth Williams (M40, 57.28).

Paddock Wood had Paul Hasler (5th, 56.17) and Gareth Robb (10th, 59.19) in prominent positions and their team was completed by Peter Buckingham (31st, 63.57) and M50 Malcolm Martin (50th, 67.19). John Denyer (66.59) of Sevenoaks won the M60 masters prize in fine style.

The women’s race resulted in a clear win for Folkestone’s Rona Loubser (60.54), nearly two minutes ahead of her nearest rival, W40 master Tina Oldershaw from Paddock Wood (62.41), with both ladies in the top twenty.

Jill Cliff (64.26) of Deal Tri completed the podium and masters’ award winners included Maidstone residents Sharon Hawkins (W45, 66.27) of Maidstone Harriers and Sue James (W55, 79.33) of Paddock Wood.

Canterbury Harriers took the team prizes from Folkestone Running Club and Paddock Wood AC.