Stephen Hepples continues his ambitious drive towards Olympic Games selection in today's AAA Indoor Championships and World Championships Trials at Sheffield.

The 24-year-old Loftus AC member, who was discovered winning a low-key village fun-run at Hinderwell, near Whitby, eight years ago, won a photo-finish verdict in last weekend's Dewsbury 10K in a fast time of 29min 48sec.

It was the third time that Hepples has dipped under the 30-minute mark for the distance and it has earned him a UK top-ten ranking on the roads over 5K, 10K and the half marathon.

His coach, Peter Clifford, has prepared a racing programme aimed at peaking Hepples for this summer's AAA Championships and Olympic Trials 10,000m at Birmingham, where he will bid for the Olympics B qualifying time of 28 mins 11 secs.

Today Hepples makes his indoor debut over 3,000m.

* Concerns over safety have forced Northumbria Police to withdraw their support from today's popular Royal Signals North-East Road Relay Championships on Gates-head's Team Valley and the course - used without incident since 1965 - has been shortened to avoid congestion near the finish.

Organisers Gateshead Harriers have decided to cut the usual 2.2-mile laps to 1.7 miles, which will be the shortest of any relay event in the region, and a new venue could be sought for next year.

The police are worried about the safety of athletes racing on the highway and last month's Morpeth-Newcastle Road Race came under official scrutiny, while there have been questions about dangers to runners in the famous Blaydon Race, which is traditionally held on June 9. Today's event starts at 2pm.

* Sunderland Harrier Mark Hood hopes to win selection for the World Students Championships in today's trial at the BUSA Cross Country Championships in Dundee.