SCOTTISH international Andrew Caine fulfilled his ambition of winning a first North-East Cross Country title as he ended the domination of ten-times champion Brian Rushworth in one of the most exciting senior men's races for years at Consett.

The 24-year-old Tynedale Harrier also claimed the scalp of reigning National Cross Country champion Michael Openshaw as he fought his way back into a gruelling 12K race he feared was lost.

Caine, runner-up at Hartlepool last year when Rushworth - 39 on Friday - broke the record of victories he held with former Commonwealth Games marathon gold medallist Jimmy Alder, admitted: "I was busting a gut out there and at one time I thought I'd blown my chances."

Caine went off hard with two-times runner-up Stewy Bell and the early pace clearly surprised Openshaw and Rushworth, who chose to hang back, hoping for the leaders to tire on a four-lap course which included a severe climb.

Caine said: "We really did push it hard early on - you could tell the way Michael and Brian hung back.

"That early pace took its toll and I was forced to hold back at the end of the second lap to get a bit of a breather. Michael went past me and at one time I was almost in fourth place because I knew Brian was gaining ground on me.

"But with a lap and a half to go I decided to go for it on a steep downhill run and once I got past Stewy and hit the front I just tried to keep on going.

"It wasn't until I was coming down the hill towards the finish on the final lap that I knew I had won."

He added: "I'd finished sixth, fourth, third and second in consecutive years and I knew people were expecting things from me this time.

"I have wanted this victory for so long and I'm delighted to have finally achieved my ambition of winning a gold medal at the championships. I was third and second as a junior.

"But now I have won the title it is a hell of a weight off my mind and next year I think I'll have a lot more confidence.

"Brian Rushworth has had a wonderful run of successes and it would be great to follow suit.But at the moment I'm just so glad to have won the title."

Openshaw, who won the National Cross Country Championship at Durham in February, was the runner everyone expected to be the main threat to Rushworth, but while he battled his way into second place he finished 26 seconds behind the winner.

The Birchfield Harrier admitted: "All credit to Caine and Bell. They were a lot hungrier than I was on the day.

"I was running hard throughout the race but there was never a point where I thought I was going to win."

Bell, who was just pipped by Openshaw for second place, said: "I knew the only way to beat runners like Openshaw and Rushworth was to go off hard and try to build up as big a lead as I could.

"I knew with a lap and a half remaining I wasn't going to keep up that kind of pace. If I'd been in front after three laps it wouldn't have mattered how tired I felt."

Rushworth, who had won the previous four races, said: "I was hoping that the leaders were going to blow up because the early pace was suicidal.

"But they proved to be too strong for me and I'm only disappointed I didn't get among the medals."

Chester-le-Street's Morag McDonnell took advantage of the absence of defending champion Marie Stansmore to win the women's title at the second time of asking.

The former fell runner was challenged on the opening lap by North-East and Northern 800m track champion Bev Blakeman, of Sunderland Harriers, but opened up a lead at the top of the first hill and went on to win by 14 seconds.

The 28-year-old English teacher at King James School, Bishop Auckland, said: "I was disappointed when I only finished in seventh place last year but this more than makes up for it."

Lanchester schoolgirl Laura Wright had the distinction of being the first member of host club Blackhill Bounders to win a North-East championship when she opened the programme with a victory in the under-13 girls' race, beating Blaydon's Linsey Rawlings by three second