FORMER Sunderland Harriers Patrick and Jack Martin helped deny Morpeth Harriers to the gold medals in the English National Cross Country Relay Championships at Mansfield.

After Teessider Andrew Wiles lifted his new club from seventh to second, only four seconds behind leaders Stockport on the second 5K leg, it looked as though the Northumbrians might triumph in the four-stage event at Berry Hill Park.

But Patrick Martin, the former North-East cross country champion before moving from Wearside to Manchester two years ago with his family, increased Stockport’s lead to 31 seconds on the penultimate leg before his younger brother, Jack, held off a determined challenge by another Teesside runner, Jonathan Taylor, who moved from third to second on the anchor leg, to win by 23 seconds.

Gateshead’s Chris Parr ran the third fastest leg of the day on the opening stage, but the Tynesiders faded back to finish 20th, four places behind second North-East club, Durham City, whose Northern and North-East cross country champion Dan Garbutt had started his club off in ninth place.

Birtley’s Great Britain international Lydia Turner, ran the second-fastest 3K stage in the junior women’s race, lifting her team 16 places to tenth on the final leg behind winners Aldershot, Farnham and District.

Selected results – Senior Men (4x5K): 1 Stockport 61 mins 11 secs; 2 Morpeth 61.34 (N Swinburn (7)15.04, A Wiles (2) 15.49, I Hudspith (3) 15.38, J Taylor (2) 15.03); 3 Highgates 61.55; 16 Durham City 65.21; 20 Gateshead 65.55; 53 Tyne Bridge 69.49; 60 North Shields Poly 71.04. Fastest times: 1A Heyes (Hallamshire) 14.52; 2 J Beattie (Newham) 14.55; 3 C Parr (Gateshead) 14.57; 8 J Taylor 15.03; 9 N Swinburn 15.04; 10 P Martin 15.11.

Senior Women (3x3K): 1 Aldershot, Farnham & Dist 29.47; 18 Morpeth 33.09; 19 Jarrow & Hebburn 33.09; 40 Tyne Bridge 34.36; 54 New Marske 36.33; 60 NSP 37.37.

Junior Women (3x3K): 1 Aldershot, Farnham & Dist 25.27; 10 Birtley 28.05. Fastest times: 1 J Judd (Chelmsford) 8.12; 2 L Turner (Birtley) 8.22.