GREAT Britain international Sheila Allen, who decided not to defend her two World Veterans Championships titles in Australia because of a recurring knee injury, has continued her run of good form by winning a third consecutive race.

Allen, just beaten for the veterans' prize in the Blaydon Race a month ago, has since won the Newton Aycliffe 10K and British Veterans ten mile road race championship at Croxdale, while at the weekend she was a comfortable winner of the inaugural Coquet Challenge 10K.

Another veteran, Morpeth's Les Atkinson followed up on his Blaydon Race success by winning the senior men's event at Amble, beating Tyne and Wear Fire Brigade's Dave Wyatt by 16 seconds.

The third 6.3-mile Amnesty Run, a multi-terrain event on Newcastle Town Moor, was won by Durham City Veteran Steve Everett, who beat last year's winner, Paul Johnson (Morpeth) by 16 seconds.

Results - Coquet Challenge 10K: 1 L Atkinson (Morpeth M45) 32 mins 53 secs; 2 D Wyatt (Tyne and Wear Fire Brigade) 33.09; 3 I Handiside (Unatt) 34.18. Women: 1 S Allen (Houghton and Peterlee) 38.11.

Amnesty Run (6.3m): 1 S Everett (Durham City M40) 33.54; 2 P Johnson (Morpeth) 34.10; 3 A dent (Blaydon M40) 35.26. Women: 1 C Ure (Elswick) 47.06.

Durham City's Val Hancock helped Great Britain to team victory in the World Veterans Championships in Brisbane when she was second in the over-55 cross country race.