BERNADETTE Taylor won a battle royal with Claire Simpson of Jarrow and Hebburn to take the senior women's race at last weekend's North Eastern Cross-Country Championships and help Darlington Harriers retain the team title.

The Tynesider held the upper hand for three-quarters of the 8K race at Meadowfield and regained the lead after a brief challenge took Taylor to the front on the last lap.

But the reigning North Yorkshire and South Durham Harrier League champion made a decisive move on a downhill section, bursting away from Simpson to open up a 30-metre lead before going on to win by six seconds.

Taylor, a 29-year-old trainee nurse, admitted: "When Claire opened up a lead I had more or less settled for second.

"But on the final lap I sensed she was slowing down a little and that gave me the encouragement I needed. I managed to get to the front a second time, but I didn't think I would make it all the way. I'm overwhelmed by what's happened."

Three-times champion Marie Stansmore, running again after two years out of athletics, took third place, 15 seconds behind Simpson, and, with veteran Alison Raw, helped Darlington take the team title.

The most emphatic victory in the younger age groups was achieved by Shildon's fast-improving Kate Avery, who had 29 seconds to spare in the under-13 girls' race.

Middlesbrough and Cleveland's 19-year-old international race walker, Johanna Jackson, won the junior women's title with Julia Orr of Quakers RC second.

Great Britain international Neil Wilkinson of Morpeth successfully defended his senior men's title.

Results. - Senior men (12K): 1 N Wilkinson (Morpeth) 37.44; 2 M Brown (Morp) 38.22; 3 B Rushworth (Sunderland) 28.29. Teams: 1 Morpeth 57; 2 Sunderland 68; 3 Chester le Street 174.

Junior men (8K): 1 P Martin (Sund) 25.46; 2 L Timmins (Gosforth) 25.52; 3 L Moses (Newton Aycliffe) 25.55. Teams: 1 Morpeth 28; 2 Newton Aycliffe 34; 3 Chester le Street 39.

Under-17 men (6K): 1 J Young (Morp) 19.23; 2 R Stevenson (New Marske) 19.31; 3 R Floyd (Morp) 19.33. Teams: 1 Morpeth 23; 2 Gateshead 50; 3 Middlesbrough & Cleveland 74.

Senior women (8K): 1 B Taylor (Darlington) 29.54; 2 C Simpson (Jarrow & Hebburn) 30.00; 3 M Stansmore (Darl) 30.15; 4 M Holt (Sund) 30.39; 5 H Robinson (ClS) 30.44; 6 M Czarnecka (ClS) 30.59; 7 J Mooney (Morp) 31.13; 8 J Nutt (Elswick) 31.27; 9 A Raw (Darl) 31.31; 10 D Hales (Dur C) 31.46. Teams: 1 Darlington 13; 2 Chester le Street 22; 3 North Shields Poly 53.

Under-20 women (5K): 1 J Jackson (Middlesbrough & Cleveland) 17.59; 2 J Orr (Quakers) 18.09; 3 A Fox (Morp) 18.28. Teams: 1 Morpeth 10; 2 Gateshead 29; 3 Middlesbrough & Cleveland 47.

Under-15 girls (4K): 1 L Weightman (Morp) 14.45; 2 J Russon (New Marsk) 15.00; 3 H Girtig (Blaydon) 15.16. Teams: 1 Morpeth 25; 2 M&C 34; 3 Blaydon 39.