Charlotte Arter is set to become a full-time athlete in the New Year, having ended her 2018 season in style.

Competing at the European Cross-Country Championships in Tilburg, The Netherlands, last weekend, the 27-year-old Cumbrian finished seventh as the first Brit across the line.

Arter, from Stockdalewath, near Dalston, said: "Yeah, I was really happy with it.

"It was a tough course actually and a really quick race. At the beginning, I was a bit further back than I was hoping to be, just because it was so quick. 

"I definitely had a lot of work to do throughout the race to move up to seventh, but I was happy with the result, and to be the first Brit back was great."

Arter’s performance also helped Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s women’s team secure silver with 24 points, behind the hosts.

"You always want to be a scorer for the GB team. You always want to be the first Brit across the line. So, I was happy with my contribution," she said.

As well her success in The Netherlands, the former Austin Friars student won the Cardiff 5k and the Brighton Marathon 10k, while she finished third at the Vitality Big Half Marathon in a productive 2018.

And with the Toyko 2020 Olympics a little more than 18 months away, Arter is set to take a break from her role as performance sports officer for Cardiff University in a bid to ensure she maximises her potential.

She said: "I’m taking a career break. I have a couple of weeks left at work.

"Cardiff University have pretty much given me a year out [because] I want to live life as a full-time athlete and see what I can do over the next year, with the safety of having a job at the end of it if I wanted it.

"As of January, I will be a full-time athlete which is going to be self-funded but I have support from Welsh and British Athletics.

"I don’t want to look back in 10 years’ time at what I could have done when all the other girls I’m competing against are all full-time. 

"So, I’m going to give it a year to see what I can do. 

"If I enjoy being a full-time athlete and it’s all going well, I will continue. But if I miss working or want to come back to it, I have that option, as well."