ELSWICK Harrier Ryan McLeod followed in the illustrious footsteps of his father - Tyneside athletics legend Mike McLeod - with a record-breaking victory in yesterday's Saltwell 10K road race.

The 22-year-old European Cross Country Championships gold medallist clipped 32 seconds off the course record, watched by his father, who won the event a phenomenal 16 years in succession.

McLeod junior quickly took the lead on the new traffic-free course around Saltwell Park and hammered on to win in 31 mins 27 secs, beating Morpeth Harrier Jonathan Taylor by an emphatic 43 seconds.

McLeod senior, who was the 10,000m silver-medallist in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, dominated the Saltwell race - traditionally held each year on Boxing Day - between 1974 and 1989 on a much tougher course, which included the notorious Chowdene Bank, on main roads in Gateshead.

He said: "I'm delighted Ryan is going to get his name on the trophy - and so is he."

McLeod junior, a World Junior Cross Country international, helped Great Britain win the inaugural under-23 team race in this month's European Cross Country Championships in Spain.

Another proud father was former triple world middledistance record-holder Steve Cram, who watched his son, Marcus, win the under-15 race.

Yesterday's women's race was won by Tyneside-based Helen Lawrence, who runs for Wirral.

She clocked 36 mins 54 secs to finish 24 seconds ahead of Mxine Czarnecka, who led Chester-le-Street to victory in the team race.