ONE of Europe's great mountain bike races is coming to the North- East, it has been revealed.

Kielder Water Forest and Park, in Northumberland, will host the Saab Salomon Avalanche Trophy on May 17 and 18.

It is the first time the event has been held in England, with 350 professional and amateur riders to take part.

The 155,000-acre forest will host the second leg in a five-stage competition. Other venues include Alpe D'Huez, in the French Alps, and Brixen, in the Italian Tyrolean mountains.

Riders from the North-East are being invited to join the ranks of Europe's elite and take their place on the starting line-up.

Forestry Commission recreation and tourism manager Alex MacLennan said: "This really is a massive feather in the cap for everyone at Kielder Water and Forest Park.

"It will bring thousands of people into the area and really put us on the map as a prime European recreational venue."

Kielder was chosen to host the event thanks to the new £300,000 Deadwater mountain bike trail, which was unveiled last autumn.

A project of the Kielder Trail Reivers, Kielder Partnership and the Forestry Commission, it is the highest trail of its kind anywhere in England, peaking at 2,000ft (600m).

Riders will compete in time trials using Deadwater's black and red sections.

There will be plenty of hairraising jumps and turns, as competitors race against the clock to edge in front.

Events get under way at 9am on both days, with a first prize of a new Saab car for the rider topping the list after this year's pan- Europe competition.

Off-road fans are also invited to join a race into Scotland.

Taking place on May 17, it is part of this year's Bike Place Marathon Series and will cover 31 miles.

To register and find out more go to thebikeplace.co.uk, or call 01434-250457. To register for the Kielder leg of the Avalanche Trophy, visit avalanchetrophy.com or email olivia@avalanche trophy.com