TRAINEE accountant Steven Hepples just failed to complete a hat-trick of AAA national 5,000m titles after finding himself in a race against the clock before the championships began.

The reigning North Yorkshire and South Durham Harrier League champion got to the stadium at Bedford only 20 minutes before his Under-23 event after a nightmare nine-hour 230 mile journey from his home in Hinderwell, near Whitby, thanks to a mechanical breakdown and traffic jams.

The 22-year-old Yorkshireman was given special permission to run after missing the registration deadline.

But he had only ten minutes to warm up before joining the other 18 contestants on the starting line.

Hepples battled bravely, leading from the halfway mark but lost out by four seconds to local athlete James Fewtell over the final 400 metres.

But Hepples, the North-East 5K road race champion, was pleased with his performance and time of 14 mins 28 secs in the circumstances.

He said: "It was a horrendous journey to Bedford, with one traffic jam after another before we had a breakdown.

"Perhaps I should have gone earlier in the race.

"And while I'm disappointed not to have won a third gold medal I know I'm in the best shape of my life.

"My personal best for 5,000m is 14.09 but I know a sub-14 is within my grasp given the right race - my speed sessions over the last month have been exceptional."

* Stewy Bell's run of three consecutive road race victories was brought to an end when he was beaten by an emphatic 41 seconds in the Tynedale 10K by former Chester-le-Street clubmate Michael Openshaw, who clocked 30 mins 15 seconds. Jarrow and Hebburn's Claire Smallwood clipped 46 seconds off her personal best when she won the women's race in 35.14.

* North Shields Polytechnic's Gemma Fergusson, who won the AAA Under-20 100m hurdles title at Bedford, has been selected for the Norwich Union Great Britain team.

The British squad will be competing in the IAAF World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, from July 16-21.

She has also been chosen for the 4 x 100m relay team.

* Middlesbrough and Hexham are the venues today for North of England Men's League matches.

The North of England Women's League, meanwhile, stages a Division 3E and 4E double-header at Jarrow's Monkton Stadium tomorrow.