ADAM Hickey clocked the fastest time of the day at the Essex County Relay Championships.

The Southend AC runner completed his 5km leg in 14mins 28secs in the men’s race at Apex Corner, Hockley.

Hickey’s performance helped the Southend team that also featured Tom Frith (15:08), Rhys Gillard (16:08) and Rob Frith (16:46) to a silver medal.

Southend also netted three more silver medals and a bronze as the cross-country season got underway on a mainly dry Hockley course.

Mitchell Lawrence (10:47), Joseph Hudson (11:50) and Craig Wheeler (10:58) finished second in the under-13 boys, while Adam Jordan (9:49); Joseph Ray (10:16); and Henry Snell (10:23) claimed silver in the under-17 men’s race.

The under-13 girls’ team of Georgia Goble (12:26), Joanna Rimmington (12:11) and Meghan Samuels (12:26) rounded up Southend’s silver success, with the senior women’s team of Sarah Jeffery (19:59), Anne Jenkinson (20:20) and Kerry Holland (17:32) taking bronze.

The senior men ran 4x5km, the senior women 3x5km and the younger age groups 2x3km.

Lucy Kidwell clocked the second fastest time of the day in the women’s under-17 race with 11:22 but did not have a team to run with her.

Southend team-mate Adam Jordan (U17) was second fastest in the under-17 men with his 9:49 just one second off the fastest time in the class.

Under-15 Natasha May came away from her opening leg in second place with the fifth top time (11:20) and her team which included Natasha Walter and Juliette Le Mare finished sixth.

Senior woman Kerry Holland ran a stunning last leg and also recorded the second fastest lap, 17:32; behind Basildon AC runner Gemma Kersey (17:08). Claire Cornwell returned from a long lay-off with her 19:17 for the B team was one of the fastest Seasiders’ times of the day.