MANY of Britain's top mountain bikers tackled tough downhill and cross-country courses to end their season in a normally quiet corner of a North-East forest at the weekend.

Saturday and Sunday's races in Hamsterley Forest, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, closed a national series which has taken the 500 competitors to venues the length and breadth of England and Scotland during the past few months.

Foot-and-mouth restrictions have hit the sport and organisers found it impossible to stick to the programme they drew up at the beginning of the year. They were happy to see a successful conclusion in the mud of Hamsterley, where Saturday's downhill races were held on a new course designed and built by Craig Hunter deep in the woodland at The Grove.

Elite series winners were Orange Animal team mates Adele Croxon, from Sheffield, and Ed Moseley, who lives in Malvern. Gee Atherton, a 16-year-old rider from Somerset, clocked 2mins 33secs for the fastest time of the day.

Yesterday's rain made the five-mile cross-country track slippery and the men's series title was in doubt right until the end.

Although Nick Craig crossed the line first, second place was enough to give Olly Beckingsale a series win to add to his individual championship.

Tracey Brunger, from Peebles, who rides for Helly Hansen Giants, was the women's series winner.