PATCHED-UP Chester-le-Street staged a tremendous fightback to hang on to their Northern Four Stage Road Relay Championship at Warrington.

Hit by the late withdrawals of international Morag McDonnell and the experienced Kathryn Waugh, the Cestrians called up reserves Emma Waterhouse and Maxine Czarnecka - and they responded magnificently.

Waterhouse opened in 14th position and second-leg runner Czarnecka made up seven places. It was left to Scottish international Freya Murray to hoist Chester-le-Street into a ten- second lead with the fifth fastest run of the day - and recent recruit Tracy Laws produced her best-ever performance to win by 61 seconds.

Fast-finishing Scunthorpe made up four places to take the silver medals while Kendal, the early challengers, faded to 13th place as their anchor-leg runner was passed by 11 rivals.

Chester-le-Street team manager Lindsay Dunn said: "It was a superb performance - the team is just getting stronger and stronger."

Sunderland Harriers finished 13th in the men's Six-Stage Championship after climbing into second place on the third leg, eventually finishing nearly 13 minutes behind winners Leeds City.

Results - Men's Six-Stage: 1 Leeds City 2 hours 34 mins 46 secs; 2 Liverpool 2:39:59; 3 Altrincham 2:4037; 13 Sunderland 2:47:01; 19 Morpeth 2:49:33; 21 New Marske 2:49:59; 33 Gateshead 2:56:04; 34 Wallsend 2:57:12; 37 Loftus 2:57:41. Fastest times: 1 P Riley (Leigh) 25.08; 14 M Hood (Sunderland) 25.49; 22 B Rushworth (Sund) 26.15.

Women's Four Stage: 1 Chester-le-Street 1:21:04 (E Waterhouse 20.43, M Czarnecka 20.26, F Murray 19.13, T Laws 20.42); 2 Scunthorpe 1:22:03; 3 Sale 1:22:34; 14 Morpeth 1:27:33. Fastest times: 1 C Entwistle (Wigan) 18 mins 53 secs; 5 F Murray (ClS) 19.13.

Redcar-based North-East 10K champion Stephen Hepples helped his first-claim club, Newham and Essex Beagles, take the silver medal in the Southern Six-Stage Road Relay Championships.

The 27-year-old Middlesbrough council auditor moved from 11th to third on the second leg, recording the joint second fastest time of the day.