MORPETH veteran Ian Hudspith looks set to give himself an early birthday present by winning the prize for the first North-East finisher in tomorrow's Great North Run.

The former Great Britain international - 41 next Friday - lost out in the big half marathon last year, finishing 37 seconds and four places behind young clubmate Nick Swinburn, who was 13th in a personal-best 65 mins 45 secs.

But the 23-year-old Bangor University student and fell-running specialist is currently training at altitude in Kenya, leaving the way clear for Hudspith, four-times winner of the Tees Pride 10K, to regain his crown.

Hudspith could well face a personal tussle with another North-East based athlete, Yared Hagos, who has settled in Newcastle this year.

But the Ethiopian, who set a new record winning the Darlington 10K last month, is still registered with the Bradford Airedale club, which prevented him being awarded the North-East ten mile when winning the Tynedale championship event two weeks ago.

Hagos, who has a half marathon best of 62 minutes, has been invited to join the elite runners tomorrow and could well have a personal duel with Hudspith (personal best 62 mins 53 secs) along the banks of the Tyne.

Other North-East athletes starting from the front of the masses include Morpeth Harrier Peter Newton, who won the Northern 10,000m track championships this summer and has a half marathon best of 69 mins 12 secs, and three-times North-East cross country champion Mark Hood (66 mins 33 secs).

Wallsend Harrier Stacey Rogers, with a personal-best of 79 mins 54 secs from this year's Wilmslow Half Marathon, when she finished just outside the medals in fourth place, seems to be the leading contender for the first regional finisher, having won the York Brass Monkey Half Marathon (81 mins 12 secs)in January.

Last year the 30-year-old Tynesider finished 25th in 84 mins 42 secs as second North-East finisher behind Chester-le-Street's Great Britain international Alyson Dixon, who was 8th in 74 mins 15 secs.

With Dixon still recovering from her exertions in last month's World Championships marathon, the main competition is expected to come from from Sunderland Harrier Michelle Holt (80 mins 51 secs) and Middlesbrough and Cleveland's Carolyn Summersgill (84 mins 39 secs), two athletes looking to improve their best times.