MORPETH Harriers' desperate SOS for club runners to turn out in the final fixture of the Start Fitness North-East Harrier League paid dividends as they won the First Division title for the first time since 1988 on a gruelling course at Prudhoe.

Morpeth had intended taking 24 of their best runners to the Northern 12-Stage road relay championships and feared they would not have sufficient runners to maintain their slender lead at the top of the Harrier League.

But the Blackpool competition fell victim to the weather, and Morpeth were able to strengthen their team.

Their athletes returned from an aborted trip down the M6 to score a runaway victory over their two closest rivals, defending champions Gateshead and fast-finishing Sunderland, who had won the previous two fixtures.

Morpeth, led home by Graeme Taylor, finished their six counters in the first 14 Division One runners for a very high score of 50 points - 87 ahead of second-placed Sunderland Strollers - while Gateshead (211 pts) slumped to sixth and Sunderland (218) seventh in the final test in a hard-fought season.

Morpeth's team was: Taylor (third), Jonny Nisbet (fourth), Matthew Boyle (seventh), Ross Floyd (10th), Philip Caldwell (12th) and Fergus Bates (14th).

Durham City's Dan Jenkin won the men's grand prix prize, with 37 points from his best four runs, beating Taylor by eight points.

Tyne Bridge suffered their first-ever team defeat after joining the league last season but still finished top of Division Two to win promotion.

Heaton Harriers regained the women's title they held for four years in succession before losing out to Tynedale last season.

The Newcastle club finished second behind Gateshead at Prudhoe but had a big enough lead to take the championship by an emphatic seven points.

Morpeth Harrier Emma Holt won the race from the fast pack, giving away four minutes start, to clinch the women's grand prix title.

Men: 1 S Cairns (Tyne Bridge, Slow Pack +5 mins) 37.13; 2 L Buswell (Gosforth, SP) 38.47; 3 R Parker (Tynedale, SP) 40.07. Fastest times: 1 D Jenkin (Durham City, Fast Pack scr) 35.45; 2 G Taylor (Morp, FP) 35.48; 3 R Floyd (Morp, FP) 37.23. Teams - Div 1: 1 Morpeth 50; 2 Sunderland Strollers 137; 3 North Shields Poly 174. Div 2: 1 Tynedale 69; 2 Tyne Bridge 120.

Grand Prix: 1 D Jenkin 37; 2 G Taylor 29; 3 A Burn (Jarrow & Hebburn) 21. Vets: 1 J Barbour (Heaton 40; 2 P Sanderson (Elswick) 38; 3 L Bennett (Els) 34. Teams - Div 1: Morpeth 15; 2 Gatesh 22; 3 Sunderland 24. Div 2: 1 Tyne Bridge 7; 2 Tynedale 19; 3 Elswick 22; Div 3 1 Jarrow & Hebburn 13; 2 Jesmond Joggers 13; 3 Blyth 19.

Senior Women: 1 E Holt (Morp, Fast pack, scr) 31.04; 2 N Cameron (Heaton, SP+4 mins) 31.05; 3 P McRichie (Low Fell, SP) 31.12. Fastest times: 1 E Holt 27.04; 2 A Dargie (Els) 27.29; 3 E Leslie (J&H) 28.23. Teams: 1 Gateshead 13; 2 Heaton 16; 3 Blackhill Bounders 39.

Grand Prix: 1 E Holt 35; 2 J Zoppi (Heaton) 19; S Marr (Tyne Bridge) 16. Since 1988Teams - Div 1: 1 Heaton 16; 2 Gateshead 23; 3 Blackhill Bounders 26. Div 2: 1 Low Fell 17; 2 South Shields 23; 3 Elswick 27.