TYNESIDE'S Heaton Harriers became only the fourth club to win the Start Fitness North-East Harrier League Division One senior men's team title in a nail-biting finish with Morpeth.

The Longbenton outfit, which narrowly avoided relegation last season, joined the ranks of Sunderland, who won the championship ten times in the last 11 years, South Shields and Wallsend to win the coveted Sisterson Cup since the league split into different divisions.

Heaton also completed a unique double by winning the senior women's championship for a fourth consecutive season.

Morpeth, however, had the consolation of providing the two senior Grand Prix individual winners in Matt Nicholson and Jane Mooney and the newly-crowned Northern 12-Stage Road Relay champions also added the Sherman Cup (men) and Davison Shield (women) to their trophy cabinet after in-depth successes in the Harrier League penultimate meeting at Prudhoe earlier in the month.

The final Harrier League tables were:

Senior Men Div 1: 1 Heaton 16; 2 Morpeth 16; 3 South Shields 26. Relegated: Low Fell & Tynedale. Div 2: 1 Sunderland Strollers 9 (Promoted); 2 Alnwick 19 (P); 3 Crook 20. Relegated: Blyth, Jarrow & Hebburn. Div 3: 1 Blaydon 7 (P); 2 Jesmond Joggers 19 (P) 3 Aurora 29. Grand Prix: 1 M Nicholson (Morpeth) 38; 2 P Newton (Morp) 37; 3 J Buis (Heaton) 35. Veterans: P Sanderson (Elvet).

Under-17: 1 Gateshead 24; 2 Blyth 25; 3 Morpeth 27. Grand Prix: J Nisbett (Morp). Under-15: 1 Gosforth 17; 2 Sunderland 17; 3 Elswick 41. GP: A Wallett (North Shields Poly).

Under-13: 1 Tynedale 9; 2 Birtley 25; 3 Gateshead 25. GP: H Johnson (Chester-le-Street).

Senior Women: 1 Heaton 14; 2 Tynedale 22; 3 Elvet Striders 30. GP: 1 J Mooney (Morp) 40; 2 A Dargie (Elswick) 31; 3 J Zoppi (Heaton) 27. Veterans: S Morley (Tynedale).

Under-17/20: 1 Gateshead 7; 2 Gosforth 18; 3 Morpeth 34.

Under-15: 1 Birtley 12; 2 Blaydon 27; 3 Gateshead 35. GP: L Turner (Birt).

Under-13: 1 Elswick 23; 2 Gateshead 30; 3 Blaydon 38. GP: P Chambers (Elswick).

n The Transpeed Blyth 10K, incorporating the North-East championships, will be held tomorrow, from Blyth Quayside to Seaton Sluice and back. Late entries will be accepted.

n The Blaydon Race, on June 9, is already a sell-out, with the 4,000 maximum places being snapped up in the first four days.