THREE Warrington Athletics Club masters runners have earned the right to represent their country through their performances.

Colin Bishop, Steve Watmough and Mervyn Ward each qualified for the England team in their age group that will be running for the country at the Fleet half marathon on March 15.

The trio managed to book their spots in the team thanks to a hat-trick of age group victories at Sunday’s Four Villages half marathon.

Bishop was the first to finish as he completed the course in 1hour 17mins 12secs, which brought him home first in the over 60s age group and 57th overall.

The next home was Watmough as he claimed an over 55s victory and 64th place overall by stopping the clock at 1hour 18mins 5secs.

Ward then completed a superb Warrington hat-trick as the 254th runner home and the first aged over 65 thanks to his time of 1hour 28mins 21secs.

All three runners also won their respective age groups in the Northern Masters Championships, which were incorporated into the race along with the England half marathon Masters team trial.