TALENTED Pershore High School athlete Heather Paton has earned a place at next February’s British Senior Indoor Championships.

The teenager smashed the 25-year-old Worcester Athletic Club record as their first hurdler to break the nine-second barrier over 60 metres. Paton lowered her personal best from 9.28 to 8.94 in the Welsh Indoor Christmas Classic at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

The Bishampton 17-yearold met the qualifying standard for the championships where she could face Jessica Ennis and Tiffany Porter.

Scottish international Paton said: “I’m really pleased with the result, especially as we’re in the middle of hard winter training sessions so I’m nowhere near as sharp as I’d like to be.

“I didn’t feel particularly quick and know my technique wasn’t consistent so to run such a big personal best was a nice surprise.