St Albans School took England to fourth at the Schools World Cross Country Championship in Malta.

The school represented England and secured their highest position in the World Championship.

Their fourth place behind Algeria, Turkey and Australia equals the best-ever result by a UK school in the championships. Robbie Lightowler, at just 15, two years below the age limit, led the St Albans/England team home with tenth place.

Four of his team mates, Adam Thorpe, Mark Pearce, Joe Brennan and Will Floyd, finished in the top 25, but Joe Redwood suffered an asthma attack in the hot, dry conditions and finished well down the field.

Headmaster Andrew Grant said: "We can now say, with confidence, what we always knew but couldn’t prove: that St Albans School has one of the best school cross country teams in the world. The boys and their coach George Harrison and manager Kenny Everitt can take great pride in their achievement and the school, of course, is enormously proud of them.”