CHARLOTTE DALE’S biggest New Year wish is for an injury free 2007.

The 22-year-old former European Junior Cross-country champion, who lives at Whitstable, is targeting the Ashford and District 10k road race later this month for her first competitive outing of the year.

She holds the course record, 32 minutes 13 seconds, after winning in 2005.

Dale said: "I have been out for four months with a hamstring injury. Now I am training hard, pounding the streets of Whitstable as well as working on my fitness at the University of Kent Sports Centre.

Dale’s last major event was the Ekiden International Relays in Japan in November, 2005, when she was a member of the six-strong Great Britain team, including Paula Radcliffe, which finished seventh.