AUSTRALIA-born Natalie Harvey, who has switched her allegiance to Great Britain, will be challenging top Kenyan runners in Sunday's sixth Auckland Castle 10K.

Harvey competed in the last Commonwealth Games for her native land, but has since made a permanent move to England and represented the UK in this year's World Cross Country Championships.

She was scheduled to run at Auckland Castle last year in the yellow vest of Australia, but was forced to withdraw. There are no problems this time, however, and Harvey, now running in the colours of South London Harriers, is ready to take on former course record holder Miryam Wangari, who won in 2002.

The Kenyan saw her time beaten last year by Russia's Galina Alexandrova, who clocked 32 mins 49 secs, and will be determined to press her claims to the women's title again on a now familiar course. She will be joined by two Kenyan newcomers to the event, Caroline Rotich and Monicah Otwari.

Another previous women's winner, Birhan Dagne - a former Ethiopian international who has represented Great Britain in two World Cross Country Championships - will also figure at the sharp end of the race. But Harvey, who just failed to gain the Olympic qualifying time in last month's UK trials, goes into the event with confidence, and hopes to join the ranks of the previous domestic winners Dianne Heneghan (1999), Dagne (2000) and Lucy Elliott (2001).

Also vying with Harvey for the AAA 10K Championship, which is incorporated in the Auckland Castle race, will be Tipton Harrier Debbie Robinson, who is the fastest British runner over the course, having clocked 33 mins 37 secs finishing third last year.

Two of Great Britain's brightest young distance runners, Louise Damen of Brighton, and Salford's Beverley Jenkins, fourth in the UK Championships 5000m, also travel to the home of the Bishop of Durham looking for impressive performances.

The race also hosts the Inter Counties 10K team championships and the North-East will be represented by Susie Rutherford, fresh from her success in Sunday's Darlington 10K, Maxine Czarnecka (Chester-le-Street), Aiveen Fox (Morpeth) and Michelle Holt (Sunderland).

The race, which is supported by The Northern Echo, will see the return of three-time men's winner and course record holder Julius Kimtai, who won the Blaydon Race for a fifth time in June. The event, which has reached its entry limit of 900 runners, will start at 9.30am in Bishop Auckland Market Place.