NORTH-EAST women stole the limelight with a brilliant hat-trick of individual gold medals in the North of England Cross Country Championships at Consett.

The men, expected to provide a series of medal challengers, struggled in the sunshine at Berry Edge, winning only one individual silver and two team golds while suffering a major disappointment in the senior men's race.

Shildon's Kate Avery gave the region a great start by adding the under-13 crown to her North-East and Durham Schools titles.

The 13-year-old Woodham School pupil made all the running, bursting clear of two rivals in the leading group before a gruelling climb and going on to win by a comfortable 16 seconds.

Next to step up to the winner's rostrum was newly-crowned Northumberland schools champion Delyth James, who repeated her resounding North-East Championships success with another clear-cut victory, by 25 seconds.

James, second last year, turned the tables on defending champion Mary Ferrier, who had to settle for third place, 44 seconds behind.

Another Morpeth Harrier, Avine Fox surprised everyone when she claimed her first major championship in the junior women's race.

The 19-year-old Durham psychology student tracked Durham City's Great Britain European and World Cross Country representative Rosie Smith to the foot of the first muddy incline and made up a 20-metre deficit to lead at the top - winning by two seconds.

A delighted Fox said: "Last year I was 12th and I expected the same this time. It's the first time I've won a major event."

Fox had the bonus of leading Morpeth to team victory, and the Northumbrians also had another medallist in Laura Weigh, third in the under-15 girls' event.

Depleted Chester-le-Street took the silver team medals in the women's 8K test. North-East champion Bernadette Taylor (Darlington) finished 12th, following home Durham City international orienteer Heather Munro and the Cestrians' first counter, Alyson Dixon.

Morpeth won the team gold medals in the under-17 men's race, led home by eighth-placed Jonny Young. But they were outside the medal positions in the senior men's race, while their double North-East champion Neil Wilkinson struggled in the sticky conditions to finish a disappointing 21st.

Morpeth were led home by 39-year-old Steve Platts in 15th, 11 seconds ahead of their next counter, Mark Brown, who finished 19th.

The only North-East individual medallist in the men's events was Sunderland Harrier Nathan Reed, who was runner-up in the under-13 boys' race, only two seconds behind the winner, leading the Wearsiders to team victory.

* Redcar-based Stephen Hepples (8 mins 8.45 secs) finished eighth out of 11 in the Sparkassen Cup IAAF indoor permit meeting 3000m in Stuttgart. The race was won by Bahrain's Mushir Salim Jawher in 7:43:30, the fastest indoor time in the world this year.

* North of England Cross Country Championships (Consett) selected results

Senior Men (12K): 1 K Farrow (Derby) 39 mins 43 secs; 2 G Raven (Sale) 40.04; 3 J Ward (Altrincham) 40.08. Others: 15 S Platts (Morpeth) 41.34; 19 M Brown (Morp) 41.45; 21 N Wilkinson (Morp) 41.55; 29 C Sampson (Morp) 42.09

Teams: 1 Leeds City 122; 2 Altrincham 150; 3 Salford 156; 4 Morpeth 190.

Senior Women (8K): 1 P Powell (Blackburn) 28.33; 2 G Phillips (Kendal) 28.43; 3 A Hoban (Wakefield) 28.47. Others: 10 H Monro (Durham City) 30.36; 11 A Dixon (ClS) 30.44; 12 B Taylor (Darlington) 30.50. Teams: 1 Derby 97; 2 Chester-le-Street 112.

Under-20 Women (6K): A Fox (Morp) 23.51; 2 K Ingram (Horwich) 23.53; 3 N Griffith (Nestle Rowntree) 24.02. Team: Morpeth 78.

Under-17 Women (5K): 1 D James (Morp) 18.24; 2 L Mayho (Bingley; 3 M Ferrier (Gates) 19.08.

Under-13 Girls (3K): 1 K Avery (Shildon) 11.29; 2 T Armoush (Amber Val) 11.45; 3 R Craigie (Macclesfield) 11.52.