MEMBERS of Middlesbrough and Cleveland Harriers in favour of a groundbreaking merger with Teesside rivals Mandale Harriers have been urged to attend an emergency general meeting tonight.

Eddie Murtagh, who was Middlesbrough and Cleveland secretary for 16 years, and is a leading campaigner for the amalgamation, said: "This is probably the most important meeting in the club's history and everyone with the future interests of athletics on Teesside at heart has got to vote for the merger."

Murtagh has been the most vociferous campaigner for the controversial amalgamation, which is understood to have the backing of most Mandale Harriers members.

But there is opposition to the move in the Middlesbrough and Cleveland club, and a two-thirds majority will be required at the EGM to get the clubs to join forces.

Sport England, which controls the purse-strings of National Lottery awards, has indicated that a multi-million pound grant for the badly-needed refurbishment of Middlesbrough's Clairville Stadium would stand a much better chance if the two clubs amalgamated.

Murtagh said: "At the moment athletics on Teesside is split down the middle, with the two clubs fighting each other for what limited resources there are.

"It would be beneficial all round if we joined together and pooled our resources into one much stronger unit and move on from there. We are talking about the very future of athletics on Teesside and even Tees Valley.

"People who want to see athletics in the area move on have got to get out and vote - this is our 'D-Day'."

Murtagh insists that the amalgamation proposal, which was defeated in the mid-90s, has come from the grassroot members of both clubs.

He said: "This has been athlete-led right from the beginning.

"Team managers and coaches almost without exception are in favour of a merger and so too are people with the best interests of athletics on Teesside at heart.

"But a two-thirds majority is needed and it is vital that everyone who supports the amalgamation attends the meeting - this is their chance to shape the future of athletics in the region."

Murtagh added: "The people against the merger have not come out and spoken objectively against it.

"I am reasonably confident that this will go through - it will be a shame if it doesn't because it is the way forward."

Tonight's meeting, at Middlesbrough Bowling Club, starts at 7.30pm and is open to all members of Middlesbrough and Cleveland Harriers. A secret ballot will be held on the merger proposal.

l Brothers Ian and Mark Hudspith were credited with the same time (29 mins 42 secs) as they finished in second and third places only a second behind reigning Tanzanian 10,000m track champion Daniel Sipe in the Puma Dewsbury Classic 10K. Elswick's Harry Matthews took the over-50 first prize (34.34)

l Results from the Durham Pine North-East Harrier League (Farringdon)

Senior Men (6 mile handicap): 1 S Potts (Sunderland, Slow Pack +5 mins) 35.51; 2 S Clark (North Shields Poly, SP) 37.26; 3 P Branston (Gateshead, SP) 37.37; 4 K Shotton (Gates, SP) 37.52; 5 S Ellerby (Houghton and Peterlee, SP) 38.01; 6 S Bell (Chester-le-Street, Fast Pack scr) 38.03; 7 Rob Hand (Durham City, FP) 38.10; 8 K Corr (Jarrow and Hebburn, FP) 38.16; 9 D Ellis (Sund, SP) 38.24; 10 P Utterson (Blaydon, SP) 38.30.

Fastest times: 1 S Bell 33.03; 2 R Hand 33.10; 3 K Corr 33.16.

Teams - Div 1: 1 Sunderland 56 pts; 2 Blaydon 84; 3 Durham City 125. Div 2: 1 Sunderland Strollers 75; 2 Elvet Striders 127; 3 Crook 135. Div 3: 1 Gateshead 51; 2 Jarrow and Hebburn 91; 3 Aurora 99.

Under-17 Men (4 1/2m): 1 C Aynsley (Morp) 28.53; 2 K Watt (NSP) 29.03; 3 D Walker (Wallsend) 29.08; 4 T Elder (Walls) 30.34; 5 B Ankers (Walls) 33.34. Team: 1 Wallsend 12.

Under-15 Boys (1 3/4 m)): 1 A Spoor (Sund) 12.14; 2 A henderson (South Shields) 12.22; 3 G Edmundson (Walls) 12.46; 4 C Breckon (Gates) 12.50; 5 J McCrerie (Sund) 13.08. Teams: 1 Sunderland 12; 2 Gateshead 32; 3 South Shields 38.

Under-13 Boys (1 3/4m): 1 M Cairns (Morp) 12.30; 2 M Foggin (Sund) 12.37; 3 M Docherty (Birt) 12.39; 4 R Cunningham (Birt) 12.40; 5 C Blackburn (NSP) 12.41. Teams: 1 Morpeth 24; 2 North Shields Poly 26; 3 Birtley 27.

Senior Women (4m): 1 C Smallwood (J&H) 25.49; 2 S Allen (H&P) 26.06; 3 L Trainor (Dur C) 27.12; 4 D Hales (Dur C) 28.01; 5 F Shenton (Elvet Striders) 28.11.

Teams: 1 Durham City 14; 2 Houghton and Peterlee 29; 3 Elswick 37.

Under-17/Jun Women (4m) 1 C Wilson (Morpeth, J) 29.33; 2 S Armstrong (Gosforth) 33.20; 3 G Barry (H&P) 35.49. No complete teams.

Under-15 Girls (2m): 1 K Thomas (Gates) 14.24; 2 L Long (Elswick) 14.30; 3 J Wilkinson (H&P) 14.42; 4 A Barter (Birtley) 14.53; 5 J Surtees (Birt) 15.16. Teams: 1 Birtley 16.

Under-13 Girls (1 3/4m): 1 L Wright (Blackhill) 13.03; 2 L Rawlings (Blaydon) 13.21; 3 E Spoor (Sund) 13.38; 4 R Hughes (NSP) 13.42; 5 S Coleby (Dur C) 13.51. Teams: 1 Sunderland 22; 2 Durham City 30; 3 Jarrow and Hebburn