DEFENDING double champions Morpeth Harriers again swept the board at the prestigious Start Fitness Sherman Cup cross country event - and topped a magnificent performance by sportingly giving away a gold medal.

The Northumbrians had provided the individual winners of the first seven races, but were about to be denied a clean sweep when Sunderland Harrier Louise Noble bore down on the finish with what appeared to be an unassailable 20 metre lead.

But the inexperienced 25-year-old Wearsider - in only her second year of competition - completely misjudged the last few strides, sinking to her knees a metre short of the finish line and was passed by Morpeth's Jane Mooney.

Noble was distraught when she realised she hadn't won - but referee Bill McGuirk had no option to award the race to the Northumbrian, who was first to cross the finish line, which had earlier been scraped across the grass.

The embarrassed Mooney had different ideas, however - and went across to her rival to hand over the gold medal and the envelope containing the first prize.

Noble said: "It is a lovely gesture by Jane - I had been told I'd lost the race.

"I thought I had finished but I didn't see the finish line.

"When I was told I had lost I just couldn't believe it, but I put it down to my inexperience.

"The next time I will keep on running and make sure I cross the line properly."

Mooney said: "I felt awful when I was presented with the gold medal and the first prize because I didn't win.

"When Louise went down I just kept on running past her because I couldn't stop.

"I've swapped medals with her and I think that's the fairest thing to do."

On the official result sheet Morpeth runners won all eight races, starting with Marcus Cram, son of former triple world record holder Steve Cram and the newly crowned Northumberland Schools junior boys' cross country champion, in the under-15 boys.

And 17-year-old England fell running international Nick Swinburn became the second youngest-ever winner of the senior men's race when he battled back to turn the tables on former Great Britain representative Stewy Bell.

Swinburn, the British junior fell running champion, was passed by the Chester-le-Street stalwart with a mile of the six-mile race remaining, but quickly regained the lead and hung on for an exciting victory. Swinburn was a month older than Lewis Timmins, who won the race last year.

Morpeth retained the Sherman Cup for a fifth year after team victories in three of the four events, losing out only to Tynedale in the under-15 boys' race. And the Northumbrians also kept hold of the Davison Shield when their women's teams also won three races.