GREAT Britain international Ian Hudspith was the first North-East athlete home in 13th place as Morpeth Harriers supplied three of the first five regional finishers.

The Tyneside teacher and former AAA half marathon champion clocked 64 mins 56 secs - 26 seconds slower than his time in the 1995 Great North Run, when he finished eighth.

Hudspith, who helped the North-East win the Inter Counties team title in last month's big Auckland Castle 10K just headed North-East exile David Wardle, who finished 14th in 65.15. Wardle, who formerly ran for Jarrow and Hebburn and Chester-le-Street before moving to work in London as a graphic designer, now competes for London Irish.

Morpeth's David Swinburne was delighted to finish third North-Easterner in 69.15 - but Tynedale's Andy Caine was disappointed to finish in 31st spot after leading the North-East home last year in 14th place.

Caine, who represented Great Britain in this year's World Cross Country Championships, recently retained his North-East ten-mile championship, but he toiled yesterday to clock 71 mins 8 secs.

Other leading North-East finishers were: 37 Alan Shepherd (Morpeth) 72.19; 40 Paul Best (Shildon) 73.02; 45 Peter Newton (Claremont) 73.54; 47 Darren Purvis (Chester-le-Street) 74.09; 49 Andrew Lawrence 75.12.

There was a double celebration for Darlington Harriers in the women's race.

First regional finisher was double North-East half marathon and senior women's cross country champion, who was 18th in 82 mins 8 secs, while clubmate Alison Raw claimed the over-40 prize, finishing 28th in 87.16.

The fast-improving Louise Noble, recent winner of road races at Hetton and New Marske, was the North-East's second women home in 23rd place, clocking 84.42.

Other leading North-East finishers: 26 Judith Nutt (Elswick) 85.44; 27 Jane Mooney (Morpeth) 86.30; 31 Aiveen Fox (Morpeth) 89.34; 32 Sarah Graham (Morpeth) 92.25.