SCOTTISH international Andrew Caine ran the fastest time in yesterday's opening North-East Harrier League fixture at Blaydon and immediately served notice that he wants the region's cross country championship.

The 24-year-old Tynedale Harrier was beaten last year by Brian Rushworth as the Wearsider claimed a record tenth title at Hartlepool, but he firmly believes he is ready to claim the crown in December.

"Brian is still a top cross-country runner but I am fitter and stronger than I have ever been and I want his title," said Caine, who graduated in sports science at Loughborough University before returning to his native Tyneside.

The former Northern junior champion ran from the fast pack in yesterday's handicap race, giving away up to five minutes start to the slower runners.

But his efforts saw him gradually worked his way through the 260-strong field to finish eighth overall, though Rushworth was a notable absentee.

Caine, whose father John finished fifth in the 1970 Commonwealth Games 10,000m in Edinburgh, has finished sixth, fourth, third and second in the North-East Championships over the last four years when Rushworth has been triumphant.

He said: "Brian will take some beating but I am getting more and more determined to win the trophy - I want it on my mantelpiece this year."

The 9.3K men's race was won by teenage slow pack runner Jonathan Graham, of Gosforth, who took full advantage of his start to beat Sunderland's Richard Kemp, who also received five minutes, by 26 seconds.

Defending senior men's champions, Sunderland, who were going for a hat-trick of titles, were beaten into fourth place despite the efforts of leading counter Tim Field.

Field, who ran only five hours after flying back from a holiday in Spain, was still able clock the third fastest behind Caine and Durham City's Rob Hand.

The women's 5K race was won by former Scottish internationalk fell runner Morag McDonnell, who now runs for Chester-le-Street.

She beat defending champion Sheila Allen, who recently won British Veterans' cross country title, by 21 seconds.

Allen, however, was tired after her exertions in the British Veterans' Cross Country Relay Championships at Darlington 24 hours earlier, when she anchored Houghton and Peterlee to victory in the over-35 section.

* Morpeth Harriers were the leading North-East club as they finishedseventh in the Nike AAA National Six-Stage Road relay Championships at Sutton Park.

The Northumbrians, runners up in the Northern Championships at Sunderland earlier this month opened up in 29th position, but Mark Hudspith hoisted the team into 14th place on the third leg.It was then the turn of his younger brother, Ian, who finished seventh on the final leg - the third fastest run of the afternoom

Results (6 x 3.5m): 1 Belgrave 1:45:28; 2 Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow 1:45:32; 3 Cardiff 1:46:31; 7 Morpeth 1:47:48 (C Sampson 18.22, R Holladay 18.02, M Hudspith 17.54, T Wall 18.27, C McBurney 18.01, * Hudspith 17.02); 26 Chester-le-Street 1:53:52; 36 Sunderland 1:56:11; 46 Gateshead 1:58:13; 50 Hartlepool Burn Road 1:59:26; 56 North Shields Polytechnic 2:00:31; 58 Durham City 2:00:58.

Women (4 x 3.5m): 1 Charnwood 58:44; 34 Chester-le-Street 1:06:51; 49 Gateshead 1:09:49