ATHLETICS enthusiasts will have to fight it out with Christmas shoppers for parking spaces when the 109th North-East Cross Country Championships are held on Newcastle Town Moor on Saturday, December 13.
Parking facilities at Exhibition Park will only be available for championship officials, with competitors and spectators having to find their own spaces for their cars on one of Newcastle city centre’s busiest days of the year.
North-East officials were struggling to find a venue for the big winter event, held last year at Temple Park, South Shields, and were delighted when one of the region’s newest clubs, Tyne Bridge Harriers, came in with the offer to host the event on the Town Moor.
With hundreds of athletes and spectators expected to support the championships’ nine races, starting at 11.30 am and no public parking facilities available on the course officials are urging the use of public transport, with Jesmond Metro station relatively close at hand, while the event headquarters will be in the nearby Royal Grammar School.
Morpeth’s former Scottish international cross country athlete Archie Jenkins is the new championships secretary and the online entry system – in use for the first time - will close on Friday, November 14.

Jarrow and Hebburn AC’s Minors Cross Country Meeting will be staged from 11am this morning at Bedewell Park, near the Monkton Stadium.

Today’s Kielder 10K is already fully subscribed, with nearly 1,000 competitors starting at 11am, while tomorrow’s Kielder Marathon (10.15am) is now also closed for entries.

Derwentside AC host their annual Hellhole multi-terrain race tomorrow, starting at 10am.

See today’s Local Heroes for a picture special on last week’s Redcar Half-Marathon