AN eight-year-old from the region is thought to have set the world record for her age for running five kilometres.

Gabrielle Hall, from Stockton-on-Tees, ran Middlesbrough's Stewart Park's parkrun in just 20 minutes 30 seconds.

Her time in the parkrun, which is a free event held in parks around the country every Saturday morning, has beat the time set by a girl of her age in Holland, by 12 seconds.

Gabrielle, who thinks she could have gone even faster, said: "I'm proud and very happy. My dream is to be an Olympic runner."

Her grandad John Hall, 56, said Gabrielle was as dedicated and focused as an adult when she was running.

But her time does not count as an "official" world record, as parkruns do not count. But Gabrielle hopes to claim it at a road race in Holland.