Winners of the Totton 10K put injury misery and poor performances behind them with classy victories yesterday.

Overall winner Angus Maclean gave his forthcoming 1,500m track season a boost after a poor show in the recent World Cross Country Championships with a personal best and Kathryn Bailey shocked even herself with an impressive time and victory in the women's race.

More than 600 runners and joggers headed out of the town on the fast, flat course.

But the one runner many had hoped to see did not make the start line. Poole Runners' Willard Chekwa predicted a time of 28 minutes but never showed up.

Instead it was left to Team Solent's Maclean to head the strong field and come home in a personal best time of 29.50.

"I was really pleased with that and felt strong throughout," said the 22-year-old after crossing the Testwood School finish line.

"I was disapointed with the World Championship in Switzerland. I felt really bad there. You get bad days and that was one of them.

"I had a night out with some friends and had some beers and came here and thought I would really give it a go," added the former British 1,500m junior runner and Under-23 British champion.

Bailey, well known on the local running scene, has a personal best of 33.37 for the distance but has not been close to that in recent years after a string of illness and injuries.

But the Havant AC athlete, who was taking part as a veteran after turning 35 years last week, pulled one of her old performances out of the bag by knocking more than half a minute off her best for 10k this year.

"I don't know where that came from. I'm incredibly pleased with that, it's the quickest I have run for a long time," said Bailey, who will rethink her plans for 2003 on the strength of her win.

"I think there is still a bit more in the tank - but not a lot.

"It would be brilliant if I could get back under 34 minutes some time in the future."

Bailey's teammate Zara Hyde-Peters was second woman home and runner's-up spot for the men also went to Havant AC with Tim Watson.