Hepples on song

The 24-year-old North Yorkshireman, who recently switched from his first club, Loftus AC, to big British Athletics League Division One outfit Newham and Essex Beagles, finished a creditable tenth last weekend in the World Cross Country Championships 4K trial at Nottingham.

But he is set to switch back to the roads in search of a £100 prize to offset his athletics expenses.

Last year Hepples decided to run at Redcar as a late entry instead of doing his usual long Sunday training run and beat Great Britain duathlon international Paul Lowes by over half a minute.

This time he will be chasing a faster time than last year's 70 mins 48 secs, with his main rival expected to be former winner Stewy Bell, of Chester-le-Street.

Hepples has his sights set on winning selection to run for Britain in the World Half Marathon Championships and will need a qualifying time of 64.20 - 28 seconds faster than his current personal best.

Hepples decided against chasing the time in the forthcoming Milan Half Marathon, which has a regularly produced fast times.

His coach, Peter Clifford, said: "Stephen has a few irons in the fire and next month hopes to run for his new club in the South of England 12 Stage Road Relay Championships.

"He is considering running again at Redcar and using it as a training run. There is a £100 first prize and sometimes he has got to sing for his supper!"

Chester-le-Street's Heather Robinson is expected to defend her North-East half marathon title in the event, which starts at 10.30.

* Durham, Northumberland and Cleveland are sending strong teams to the English Schools Cross Country Championships at Maidstone today. Last year they failed to win a medal.

* Durham City's Rosie Smith has won selection for Great Britain's junior women's team in the World Championships at Brussels next weekend, when Chester-le-Street's North-East champion, Chris Lamb, will compete in the junior men's race.