Hussain Jama was the toast of this year's Perivale 5 road race as he saw off a strong challenge to ensure host club Ealing Southall & Middlesex AC claimed the first man home at Perivale Park Athletics Track.

The event, which used to be staged in the summer, enjoyed its largest turnout to date, with 278 entries and conditions were just about perfect - hard overnight frost having given way to beautiful sunny conditions at race time.

Jama led from the start, opening up a wide gap over the chasing pack during the second lap.

However, it was a quality field, and a strong contingent from Serpentine RC set off in hot pursuit. Jama finished in 26:18, with Nicholas Torry just three seconds behind.

Serpentine took second and third places and the men's team prize. Torry was second with Andrew Reeves third.

Fifteen-year-old Archie Allen of the host club put in a commendable performance in 25th place, completing the five miles in just 30:10.

The women's race was also a competitive one, with five women contesting the top spot. Emily Ferenczi of Shaftesbury Barnet - formerly a junior doctor at Ealing Hospital - took the lead shortly before the halfway mark, easing away to win comfortably in 31:23.

Once again Serpentine took second and third place along with the women's team prize.Emily Louise Croxson and Louisa Ruderman joining Ferenczi on the winners' podium. Beata Ochman was first in for the host club, taking fifth spot in exactly 32 minutes.

The race is not limited to athletics club members, and as usual it attracted a large contingent of independent runners from around the Borough.

Local prize-winners included David Haggart and Alison Stuart, who were the fastest Ealing male and female not belonging to a UK Athletics running club. David finished in 29:54 and Alison in 38:17.

The event was something of a family affair. The 2km Fun Run for U15s was won by 13-year-old Dalton McGuigan.

His brother Fellan and team-mate Akira Anzai-Jackson were next across the line in identical times, while Dalton's mother Kate and sister Ashlee ran in the five mile race.

Top Ealing runner Nick Goolab was absent, as he represents Britain at next week's European Cross-Country Championships in Brussels. However, his mother ran the five-mile race, and six-year-old sister Nicole took part in the Fun Run.

Families from race sponsor Prince Evans solicitors of Ealing also participated in both races.

Ealing Southall & Middlesex AC always welcomes new runners at Perivale Park Athletics Track. For details of training times, visit www.esm.org.uk.

Elsewhere, the ESM senior teams were at Cockfosters this weekend for the Fraternity and Sorority Cups - where the Trent Park course lived up to its reputation for muddiness.

The women narrowly missed winning the Sorority Cup, losing out to hosts Barnet.

Mel Newbery led the women's field early on but was pushed out of the medals late on and had to settle for fourth. It was still an outstanding run for junior runner over the tough five mile course.

Patricia Thomas and Gill Morgan battled each other throughout the race with Patricia gaining the upper hand in the last mile. The pair finished sixth and seventh.

Nikki Baker completed the scoring team in 14th with Carol Jones close behind in 16th. Julia Gristwood finished 19th after one of her shoes disintegrated in the deep mud.

The men made a stronger showing than last year, but still only managed to finish sixth. First in for the team was Sam Ashcroft in 13th.

He was followed by the ever reliable Bill Gristwood in 20th. Andy Dodd was a half a minute back in 27th just ahead of Chris Hepworth in 30th.

The team was completed by Steve Plested in 54th and Martin Shelley in 63rd.