IT is only a few years since former international runner Williard Chinhanhu caused a stir on the Dorset road-racing scene by winning the Sturminster Newton half-marathon at a canter.

Despite being in the middle of a protracted battle for asylum to prevent him being forced to return to Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe, he made a return appearance to the race in north Dorset on Sunday.

Chinhanhu has lost fitness through an enforced stay at a detention centre that only ended last month - so he was unlikely to challenge for honours this year.

But with members of his adopted club Poole Runners and others among the local running fraternity giving him a warm welcome, he strode out for a commendable eighth overall.

Despite it being a pleasant summer's day, Chinhanhu wore tracksuit bottoms as well as a tee-shirt and running vest to complete the 13.1 miles in one hour 18 minutes and 18 seconds.

But even fully fit he would have been hard pressed to contain in-form winner Carl Morris who raced to victory by almost four minutes.

The Purbeck teacher stopped the clock at 1:10:08 and was followed across the line by Peter Grist in 1:13:52.

Both were competing in the vests of their first claim club Wells City Harriers, but at the same time helped gather points in the Dorset Road Race League for their second-claim clubs, Morris for Poole AC and Grist for Poole Runners.

With Martin Lewis fourth, Andy Howse (another second claim counter) seventh, Chinhanhu eighth and Dave Patrick 11th, the men's team league win went to Poole Runners bringing the club to a 4-4 stand-off with Poole AC with two races remaining to decide the championship.

First veteran was fifth-placed Andy Clements (Poole AC), with first V60 Geoff Scott (Poole Runners).

In the women's race it was Thames Hare and Hounds' Alison Outram, now living locally, who took the honours in 13th place in 1:18:59.

Yeovil's Jenny Moore was next, just under a minute ahead of third placed Christine Thomas who led the Poole Runners' winning team of Yvonne Tibble (1st F45), Janice Palmer, and Trina Lindop.

In the 5k race Dan Cheney, who celebrated his 18th birthday the day before, was first in 17:26 as he headed teammates Ryan Trew and Bradley Marsh in a Poole Runners clean sweep.

Zoe Lamb was second in the women's race.

Sturminster half-marathon results: 1 Carl Morris (Wells City Harriers) 1:10:08, 2 Peter Grist (WCH) 1:13:52, 4 Martin Lewis (Poole Runners) 1:16:09, 5 Andy Clements (1st M40) (Poole AC) 1:17:04, 7 Andy Howse (Thames Hare & Hounds) 1:17:44, 8 Williard Chinhanhu (PR) 1:18:18, 9 Phil Burden (PAC) 1:18:37, 10 Jon Sharkey (Christchurch Runners) 1:18:39.

Other local results, Poole Runners: 11 Dave Patrick 1:18:48, 14 Graham Jex 1:19:03, 39 Chris Guerrier 1:24:57, 51 Christine Thomas (3rd woman) 1:27:20, 54 Geoff Scott (1st M60) 1:27:58, 68 Alan Lewis 1:31:14, 71 Yvonne Tibble (1st F45) 1:31:29, 76 Andy Johns 1:32:37, 77 Roy Williams 1:32:55, 86 Janice Palmer 1:33:51, 96 Keith Fraser 1:35:27, 120 Trina Lindop 1:38:40, 127 Steve Claxton 1:39:52, 135 Bill Conroy 1:40:52, 152 Helen Ambrosen 1:42:24, 179 Phil Burden 1:46:24, 190 Robert Ambrosen 1:48:04, 219 Allan Broadbent 1:52:13.

Poole AC: 17 Mark Lacey 1:20:01, 23 Ian Todd 1:21:47, 24 Peter Damon 1:21:53, 33 Mike Hirst 1:24:19, 45 Roy Carr 1:26:10, 50 Jason Robbins 1:27:03, 53 Kevin Barlow 1:27:34, 60 Richard Atkins 1:29:27, 102 Peter Mattacks 1:36:05, 110 Peter Grounds 1:37:49, 174 Tim Birch 1:45:49, 212 Lesley Moore 1:51:20, 213 Tina Stoakes 1:51:21, 214 Murray Janes 1:51:22, 228 Ravinder Saini 1:54:09, 253 Judith Martin 1:59:27.

Wimborne AC: 15 Simon Mortimer 1:19:31, 20 Stewart Little 1:21:03, 40 Jerry Shield 1:25:06, 52 Eric Gilbert 1:27:32, 66 Steve Guy 1:31:01, 92 Andy Horsley 1:34:42, 147 Jon Braund 1:42:07, 158 Ian Kennedy 1:43:52, 237 Derek Sainsbury 1:56:11, 265 Denise Craddock 2:02:41, 269 Wendy Kennedy 2:03:36, 272 Debbie Whittle 2:04:49, 293 Barbara Frampton 1:12:56, 294 John Guy 2:12:56, 304 Susie O'Grady 2:17:09, 305 Cora Quinn 2:17:22, 319 Leonie Longmore 2:28:45, 320 Rona Kelly 2:29:34.

Bournemouth AC: 16 Rob McTaggart 1:19:52, 22 Mike Hoey 1:21:39, 58 JP Lopez-Cascante 1:29:03, 62 Ian Graham 1:30:12, 70 David Parsons 1:31:27.

Lytchett Manor Striders: 30 Peter Rabjohns 1:23:38, 67 Robert Burns 1:31:03, 79 Michael Trew 1:32:59, 84 David Whiddon 1:33:29, 111 George Booth 1:37:52, 156 Neil Russell 1:42:49, 170 Brian Sanderson 1:45:08, 201 Catherine Shelley 1:49:58, 211 Heather Brain 1:51:15, 216 Kate Conway 1:51:57, 222 Tia Dyke 1:53:29, 225 Michael Cutler 1:53:45, 226 Sue Tucker 1:53:47, 271 Liz Baker 2:04:41, 284 Kenneth Oxford 2:08:19, 286 Caroline Bryant 2:08:43, 298 Sara Jaques 2:13:33, 317 Julie Jobling 2:28:14, 318 Amanda Smart 2:28:22.

Littledown Harriers: 88 Heather Khoshnevis 1:34:14, 97 David Wilkinson 1:35:32, 99 Suzie Wong 1:35:49, 101 Janie Palmer 1:36:03, 194 Dave Randall 1:48:43, 264 Jim Kerr 2:02:20, 312 David Barwick 2:26:57.

Bournemouth Joggers: 196 Carole Loader 1:49:19, 204 Julie White 1:50:14, 230 Carolyn Pearson 1:54:57, 262 Sue Haynes 2:01:51, 267 Diane Ruffle 2:02:59, 281 Patricia Ozier 2:07:26, 295 Joan Fox 2:13:10.

Hamworthy Harriers: 29 Michael Witts 1:23:26.

Christchurch Runners: 128 Philip Sharkey 1:39:53.