CHESTER-LE-STREET A.C.'s Alyson Dixon marked her international debut in the Marseilles 10K road race by helping England win the women's team race.

The former double British Universities 10,000m track champion finished in sixth place in a time of 34 mins 23 secs - 40 seconds outside her personal-best - on a hilly course, immediately behind her team-mates, Great Britain Ekiden Relays international and Inter- Services 1500m champion Sophie Morris, and Derby and Nottinghamshire cross country gold medallist Jane Potter. Ethiopian runners occupied the top two spots, with a French athlete third.

Dixon, who helped Chester-le- Street win the silver medals in the National Six-Stage Road Relay Championships at Sutton Park five days before her England debut, found herself stretched by the undulating French city-centre course.

She said: "I was happy with my run - it was a pretty tough course.

The last 2 kilometres were uphill and I was pleased to stay close to my team-mates."

The 29-year-old, who helped Chester-le-Street to a hat-trick of victories in the Northern Six- Stage Championships at Catterick Garrison last month, intends making her half-marathon debut in Glasgow later this year.

■ Sunderland Harriers' women's team will be looking for a fourth consecutive road race victory in Monday's Tees Barrage 10K at Stockton.

The Wearsiders' squad of Michelle Hope, Louise Noble, Gillian Barry, Hayley Reed and Helen Ford, have won the team races in this year's Hartlepool five mile race, Redcar Half Marathon and Blyth multi-terrain 10K.

Noble, the course record-holder, defends her title in the Tees Barrage race after winning in a time of 38 mins 38 secs last year.

■ Morpeth Harrier Ian Hudspith, who missed last month's London Marathon with a sore throat, was not fully recovered when he was forced to drop out of the Hamburg Marathon at the halfway mark in a time of 66 mins 3 secs.