The big, traditional festive Iris Cross Cup in Brussels is due to be well attended this weekend

Brussels stages its popular pre-Christmas Iris Cross Cup event this weekend despite the Belgian city being on high alert due to terrorism-related security fears.

A busy programme of races is set to take place in the Royal Palace of Laeken, the official residence of King Philippe of Belgium, which sits just north of the capital s city centre.

An England team is among those planning to compete and consists primarily of athletes who narrowly fell short of making the British team for last weekend s European Championships.

The England team includes:

Senior men: Nick Swinburn (Morpeth), Andy Maud (Highgate), Daniel Studley (Bristol & West), Jack Martin (Stockport Harriers).

Senior women: Charlotte Arter (Cardiff), Lauren Deadman (Havering), Naomi Taschimowitz (Shaftesbury Barnet), Kate Hulls (Bristol & West).

Junior men: Corey De ath (Tonbridge), Ellis Cross (Tamworth), William Fuller (Blackheath & Bromley), Jack Rowe (AFD).

Junior women: Niamh Brown (AFD), Morven Goodrum (WSEH), Georgia Malir (pictured above, Leeds City), Phoebe Law (Kingston & Poly).

Ian Byett, from the England Cross Country Association (ECCA), said: Following the security clampdown in Brussels the ECCA did consult meet director Jos van Roy, who reported: ‘The current situation in Belgium is stable and now all the Brussels organisations have got a green light and even the Christmas market has opened and has been very crowded so the races will go ahead .”

The North of England is also planning to send athletes with Sophie Cowper, Claire Duck, Alex Bell, Amelia Petit, Carl Hardman and Carl Avery among those likely to compete.

The British athletes will face a number of medallists from last weekend s Euro Cross, plus some of Africa s finest runners. They will be following in the footsteps of former winners in Brussels, such as world champions Kenenisa Bekele and Paul Tergat.

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