A WIRRAL schoolboy took one of the top spots in the Mersey Tunnel 10K at the weekend.

Owen Oswick was among hundreds of people turned out for the return of the much-anticipated event.

The 10-year-old, from Spital, went on to finish 25th out of 1,200 participants, completing the race in 40 minutes and 48 seconds.

A member of Wirral Athletics, Owen has a personal best of 5K of 19 minutes and 40 seconds.

Wirral Globe: Owen Oswick was the 10k's younest competitor. Picture: Tara KellyOwen Oswick was the 10k's younest competitor. Picture: Tara Kelly (Image: Owen Oswick was the 10k's younest competitor. Picture: Tara Kelly)

His proud mum, Tara, told the Globe: "They don't normally allow 10-year-olds to race in the event. My husband had to write a letter explaining he's a good runner and they made an exception to let him run it as a one-off.

"He can't believe he ran it so fast. Before the race, he was promising he would do it in 40 minutes so for him to do it in just over that is amazing.

"Everyone is so proud of him and people kept coming up saying, "Oh my god, we can't believe he finished it in that time".

The event kicked off at 9.30am on Sunday morning yards from the emergency tunnel exit road on Blackstock Street on the Liverpool side of the River Mersey, and saw participants venture into the Kingsway Tunnel, through the Seacombe Ferry Terminal, the Mersey Ferry terminal on Birkenhead Road and the promenade overlooking the River Mersey before finishing on Ian Fraser Walk in New Brighton.

Owen was the youngest competitor to take part.