Paddock Wood AC's Maria Heslop secured the Kent Road Race Grand Prix title at Sunday's Givaudan Ashford 10k, writes Alan Newman.

Almost 1,000 athletes lined up for the 28th running or the Givaudan 10, with Heslop (W45 37min04sec) taking maximum points after a routine gun-to-tape victory in the women’s race.

Riz Maslen (W45 Hastings Runners, 41.23) and Pru Clements (W40 Tunbridge Wells Harriers, 41.36), with a personal best, were the other rostrum finishers.

Phil Hurst, of the famous 125-year-old Newcastle club Elswick Harriers, was a comfortable men's winner in 31.38 after shaking off the early attentions of Dartford Road Runners’ Terry Reeves and Sam Proctor following a delayed start due to the late rush of entries.

Robert Latala (Ashford AC, 34.05) finished strongly to local acclaim for his second place overall ahead of Tom Purnell (Canterbury Harriers, 34.45), who took the Kent GP individual title for the first time.