ERME Valley Harriers’ Will Battershill became England Under-20 3,000m steeplechase champion on Saturday at Bedford.

The 18-year-old sprinted away from Ipswich’s John Millar on the final lap of the race.

Battershill clocked 9:06.86 minutes for the seven-and-a-half lap event, with Millar finishing in 9:09.54. Brighton’s Billy White was third in 9:20.37.

It was only the second time Battershill had raced over the 3,000m distance at steeplechase. He previously clocked 9:06.23 at the Loughborough International in May.

Battershill represented GB at last year’s World Youth Championships in Columbia, reaching the 2,000m steeplechase final.