DEFENDING champion Martin Scaife produced a breathtaking finish to beat Chester-le-Street clubmate Stewy Bell in yesterday's Darlington 10K - the fastest in the North-East this year.

Scaife looked beaten as Bell swept into the finishing straight on High Row with a 20 metres lead. But as the Town Hall clock finished striking 11 Scaife hit the accelerator to edge past his rival only 50 metres from the line to win by a second in the most exciting climax ever seen in the 14-year history of the race.

Scaife finished a second clear in 30 mins 21 secs, but he admitted afterwards: "I thought he had me."

Great Britain international Bell, re-established as one of the region's most consistent road runners after recovering from a serious back injury aggravated in the 2000 London Marathon, had been content to track Scaife in the first half of the two-lap race.

But Bell demonstrated his strength as he surged into a 25-metre lead on the brow of a hill approaching eight kilometres - and Scaife was left hanging on for grim death. But the 30-year-old Darlington bakery manager refused to admit defeat, and started to win back ground, inch by inch. But he still looked to be fighting a lost cause as he trailed Bell into the finish - and onlookers gasped in astonishment as he gobbled up the deficit in an explosive final effort.

Scaife was full of praise for his opponent after they thundered over the finish line, clocking a rapid 30.21 in ideal conditions on a new, fast course.

"All credit to Stewy - he battled away and I found it hard to hang on between seven and eight kilometres," said the winner.

Darlington Harriers supplied the first three finishers in the women's race, with 23-year-old Susie Rutherford beating last year's winner, Bernadette Taylor by a minute and a half.

Rutherford, winner of last month's Pitstop 10K at Croft, has only recently returned from the United States, where she gained a Masters degree in Ecological Sciences and Policy at North Arizona University after graduating from Newcastle University.

"I went to the United States to run and I have come back much stronger," said the former England cross country international.

Rutherford, who improved her 5K personal best in America, is now confident she can make an impact at 10K, though her main ambition is to win full Great Britain international honours at cross country, her favourite branch of athletics.

The inaugural junior 3.5K race was won by 16-year-old Matthew Bell, who beat Newton Aycliffe clubmate Adam Harker. Both are trained by former Sunderland Harrier Paul Harker. The girl's winner was 15-year-old Julia Orr, whose father, Nigel, was 15th and third over-40 in the main race.