LEADING North-East junior international Ryan McLeod aims to secure automatic selection for next month's European Cross Country Championships by finishing in the top three in today's trial in the Reebok Cross Challenge at London's Parliament Hill.

McLeod, 19-year-old son of Olympic Games 10,000m silver medallist Mike McLeod, is determined to make a final appearance as a Great Britain junior after suffering the disappointment of being forced to drop out of last year's European Championships race in Edinburgh.

His preparations have gone without a hitch, including a victory in the opening Reebok meeting at Falkirk at the beginning of last month.

Since then he ran the fastest time in the first North-East Harrier League meeting - competing against seniors - and last weekend recorded the third fastest time in the English National Cross Country Relays junior men's race, finishing first on the opening leg.

McLeod said: "Things have gone really well and I'm hoping to finish in the top three and guarantee myself a place in the Great Britain European Championships team."

Also travelling to London will be McLeod's training partner, Ryan Stephenson, of North Shields Polytechnic, who was eighth fastest at Mansfield, while former Northern and North-East cross country champion, Andrew Caine - a Scottish international - competes in the senior race.

* Defending Division One champions Sunderland Harriers will be trying to extend their lead at the top of the table in tomorrow's second North-East Harrier League fixture at Chester-le-Street.

The Wearsiders, who have dominated the competition over the past two decades, winning 13 times in 14 years, turned out in force on home ground at Farringdon last month, beating Morpeth Harriers by a comfortable 54 points.

But Morpeth - winners of the National Cross Country Relays at Mansfield for a record fifth time last weekend - are undoubtedly the region's strongest cross country outfit if they turn out all their "big guns" and pose a great threat to Sunderland after winning promotion last season.

Sunderland secretary Les Arnott admitted: "We've got off to an excellent start but this could be the closest battle for the league title for many years."

The senior men's race is a handicap, however, and the placings of the slower runners - receiving up to five minute's start - can be crucial in the six-to-count team event.

Two of Sunderland's runners, Brian Bewick and Glenn Forster, third and 15th at Farringdon, have been promoted to the medium pack, receiving 2 minutes start, for finishing in the top 30.

Defending women's champions Elvet Striders, who clinched the title on the fast course at Chester-le-Street last season, were beaten by North Shields Polytechnic at Farringdon and will be anxious to make up lost ground tomorrow.

l Sunderland Harriers' British Veterans Cross Country champion Brian Rushworth, troubled by an ankle injury, has turned down a place in the England team in today's British and Irish Cross Country Championships at Croydon. But the North-East is well represented, with England call-ups for local athletes M40 Michael Trees (North-East Vets), M45 Paul Merrison (Wallsend), M55 Jimmy Bell and Mark McNally (Elswick), M65 Walter Ryder (Morpeth), M70 Eric Appleby (Heaton), W40 Kath Stewart (North Shields) and W60 Christine Lee (Gosforth).

Morpeth Harrier Archie Jenkins, a Scotland regular since joining the veteran ranks in 1992, wins his 13th international vest.

l The North-East Indoor Championships will be held over three days instead of two this winter.

Dates: Wednesday, January 3, Monkton Stadium, Jarrow (long jump and triple jump); Saturday, January 8, Jarrow (60m and 60m hurdles); Wednesday, January 12, Gateshead International Stadium (shot, high jump and pole vault). Entries close on December 12.