NATIONAL champions Morpeth Harriers have sent out an SOS to male club runners in a bid to win their first Start Fitness North-East Harrier League title in the final fixture at Prudhoe today.

The Northumbrian club, which won the six-man and nine-man team titles in the English Cross Country Championships at Sunderland last month, are currently two points clear at the top of Division One in the regional contest - but the final showdown clashes with the North of England 12-Stage Road Relay Championships and the club's top athletes will be in action in two teams at Blackpool, with places in the National Championships next month at stake.

Officials have posted an appeal on the club website aimed at runners who do not normally compete in the Harrier League handicap races, saying: "Currently Morpeth Harriers are leading Division One by a margin of two points and have every chance of actually winning the title for the first time, providing we can get a decent turn-out of at least 10-12 runners."

The less accomplished athletes in the Harrier League senior men's handicap races can receive five or two-and-a-half minutes' start with the slow and medium packs, with the best runners starting the 8K contests from scratch, with the first six finishers counting for their team.

Morpeth's decision to take their top runners to Blackpool throws the title race wide open, with defending champions Gateshead two points behind and Sunderland - ten times champions since 2000 - a further one point adrift and coming up hard on the rails after victories in the last two fixtures.

Last year Morpeth went into the final meeting, also at Prudhoe, with a one-point lead, only to finish third and concede the title to winners Gateshead by one point.

Today's meeting starts at 12.15pm, with the senior men's race starting at 1.15.