THE men of Morpeth Harriers and Chester-le-Street's women's team scored a superb winning double in the North of England Road Relay Championships at Blackpool.

The Northumbrians took the senior men's title for a fourth time as they successfully defended their crown, but it was a glorious first for the Cestrians, following hard on the heels of their victory in the National Cross Country Championships just six weeks earlier.

Chester-le-Street led all the way in the six-stage event, but Morpeth had to battle their way up from eighth place and then were engaged in a thrilling battle with powerful Manchester club Sale Harriers for the 12-stage championship.

Tom Ranger lifted Morpeth into fifth place on the second stage with the fastest 2.6-mile short-leg run of 12 mins 28 secs, but after the second fastest time of 12.54 by sixth-leg runner Michael Morris moved the holders into second place, Great Britain international Ian Hudspith shot into the lead with a 24.15 clocking for the 5.2-mile section.

Meanwhile Sale, who finished ninth on the opening stage, gradually worked their way up the field and Stuart Bailey took them into second position on the seventh leg, 83 seconds behind the leaders.

But Sale made ground on the next four legs to come within 12 seconds of Morpeth - but a great run on the penultimate leg by Ivan Hollingsworth increased the lead by 51 seconds and then anchorman David Swinburne refused to give ground on the final leg to give his team victory over the 42 miles by 1 min 23 secs.

Sunderland Harriers finished in third place. Former North-East cross country champion Brian Rushworth started them off in sixth place on the opening leg and Mark Hood, winner of the previous weekend's Chester-le-Street 10K put the Wearsiders into the lead, which they held for another two legs before being overtaken by Morpeth and Sale.

But Sunderland hung on determinedly to beat Leeds City by just over a minute for the bronze medals.

Chester-le-Street, who became the first North-East women's team to win the National cross country team title, duly transposed their success to the road, with international Dianne Heneghan giving them the lead on the opening leg (14.17). She was followed by Kathryn Waugh (15.05), Angie Watson (15.56), Ruth Brown (15.11) and Heather Robinson (16.16) before Morage McDonnell clocked the fifth fastest time of the day (14.34) to clinch victory for the Cestrians, who finished an emphatic two minutes ahead of Salford.

Results: Senior Mens 12-Stage Relay (4 x 5.2m & 8 x 2.6m): 1 Morpeth 3 hours 28 mins 40 secs (T Wall 25.44, T Ranger 12.28, G Hilton 13.54, S Platts 25.55, R Holladay 13.31, M Morris 12.54, I Hudspith 24.15, A Jenkins 14.40, R Kay 13.25, M Brown 25.36, I Hollingsworth 13.07, D Swinburne 13.11); 2 Sale 3:30:03; 3 Sunderland 3:33:30 (B Rushworth 24.51, P Martin 13.24, G Massingham 13.14, M Hood 25.02, N Younger 13.49, M Donkin 13.41, A Lilliendale 26.41, S Coxon 13.52, N Younger snr 13.55, T Field 26.20, P Groark 14.02, G Harden 14.39). Fastest short-leg times: 1 T Ranger (Morp) 12.28; 2 M Morris (Morp) 12.54; 3 C Robb (Liverpool) 12.56.

Senior Women's Six-Stage Relays (6 x 2.6m): 1 Chester-le-Street 1:31:19 (D Heneghan 14.17, K Waugh 15.05, A Watson 15.56, R Brown 15.11, H Robinson 16.16, M McDonnel 14.34); 2 Salford 1:33:21; 3 Sale 1:34:03; 8 Morpeth 1:41:57.