ORION Harriers junior Danielle Sale scooped 5,000m bronze at the UK National Inter-Counties Senior Track and Field Championships in Bedford on Sunday.

Sale, the Essex champion, was the youngest competitor in the race. While others wilted in the heavy driving rain and gusty winds, Sale climbed from 11th to third.

She overhauled Irish cross country champion Jill Shannon with just 800m to go in a dramatic finish for bronze and almost took silver, coming close to North East athlete Morag McDonnell. Essex team-mate and Great Britain international Jo Wilkinson claimed gold.

Two weeks ago Sale became the first woman to win a third consecutive Essex AAA's 5,000m Senior Women's Championship at Chelmsford, winning all three titles while under-20.

Her success at the start of the summer track season signals a return to competitive form after a viral illness that wrecked her winter cross-country season.