Paul Guy stormed back to his best form for five years to take the runners-up spot in the six-race series with a final race time of 33.36. Guy finished third on the night with Sue Milburn fifth while Michael 0'Sullivan was seventh in the series and Trevor Needham eighth.

Other Newton Aycliffe runners: Colin Gibson 31st, John Burnside 35th, Kevin Greenall 41st, Ann McLoughlin 63rd, Derek Smith 76th, Melanie Varley 85th, Sue Milburn, Peter Milburn and Dave Thompson inside the top 100 and Trevor Flowers and George Reid just outside.

The Darlington 10km road race saw Peter Milburn first in 36mins for 26th place with Guy just a few seconds behind for 30th. Tom Vinall ran 37 mins with Dave Askew 38 mins, Graham Whitchurch 41 mins, Christine Brunskill and Michael O'Sullivan 44 mins, Dave Thompson 51 mins and Meryl Gregg 53 mins, Wilf Graham 53 mins.

The Wild Goose Chase saw Adam Gibson as race winner, but as this race is a handicap event, his winning margin of six seconds was not to be fruitful over the four-mile distance. The course was road and country, with the off-road tracks being very treacherous. Peter Milburn led the way for second overall in 27.59, with Colin Gibson sixth in 29 mins, Adam Gibson 17th in 34 mins, Needham 35mins, Rob Nicholson 36 mins, John Beamson 40 mins and Anne McLoughlin 41mins.

The Hamsterley Forest 10k race saw Peter Milburn return as first vet and eighth place overall in 36mins, with Guy 11th just seconds adrift. 0'Sullivan finished 51st, John Burnside 56th, Sue Milburn 69th, Mick Beadle 80th and Karen Newbould 146th as 19th lady. The race was run over a very hilly course in warm conditions with a total entry of 228.

Shildon Running and AC

FIVE members of the club completed the St Peters 10km held at Sunderland Marina.

First back for the club was Keith Langridge in 19th position in 37.21 and next was Bob Davison in 20th with 37.30. Over-50 veteran, Scott Ellwood was next in 84th with a time of 43.51 followed by Les Lump in 128th position in 47.26 and finally, the only lady runner, Debbie Halton in 195th with a time of 58.28.

The race was won by Daniel Flint (unattached) in 32.00 while the ladies winner was Julie Nutt of Elswick Harriers in 39.51.

The club resumes training again after the summer break at the Sunnydale Leisure centre and athletics track in September and anyone aged 8-year-old and upwards can join. The club holds training sessions on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday evenings and competes in indoor sprint competitions and cross country competitions over the winter months as well as road race competitions.

The Friday evening training is for senior members and anyone interested in joining is invited to attend. For more details contact secretary, Mr N Stockley on (01388) 776083.

l THE club's Adam Ingram, aged 15, from Bishop Auckland won the junior section of the Teesdale Triathlon in a time of 1:56.50.

It was his first triathlon in which he completed the 500m swim in 9.49, the tough 28km cycle ride in 1;09.6, and the 4.8km run in 37.55.

Mandale Harriers

THE youth team are carrying the hopes of Cleveland and the North-East at Birmingham on Sunday in the national final of the McDonald's Young Athletes League.

The squad, which is the top-ranked team in the north, east of the Pennines, lines up against the other top northern teams, Sale and Liverpool, as well as the top three southern teams and the best two Midlands clubs.

This year, Mandale are hoping for a top-five placing which would be the best by a North-East team. Peter Vickers, the English Schools bronze medallist over 100m, will be hoping to crack 11 seconds, a time well within his capabilities as he has run Lewis Francis to within half a second. Anthony Bibby, the national indoor all round champion, will be aiming for a 13.5 clocking in the 100m hurdles as well as 13.5m in the triple jump.

The U-15 relay squad of Peter Keenan, Kaurvet Ghag, John Baines and Carl Driffield who were Northern Inter-Counties champions and ran at the English Schools, will hope to better 47 seconds.

Meanwhile, Chris Tomlinson, who graced the cover of the match programme a couple of years ago when he was long and triple jump champion, continues with his preparation for the World Junior Championship in Chile next month.

Durham City Harriers

PETER Coates proved yet again he is an athlete with super all round ability.

The North-East counties decathlon champion won the hour long decathlon, which requires 10 events to be completed in an hour, at the Northumberland Classic, Hexham.

He was runner-up in a double decathlon (20 events in 2 days) last year and he almost finished in the same position in this latest event as he was lying second after the first event before taking pole position at the very end.

Chris Hunter (Jarrow and Hebburn) was the leader until the 1500m when Coates put in an excellent run to clinch the title.

Results: 100m 12.1; long jump 6.05; shot putt 8.71; high jump 1.71; 400m 55.5; 110m hurdles 17.8; discus 28.31; pole vault 3.00; javelin 37.59; 1500m 4.40; total points 4,097

Alan Rowell made the long trip to Solihull, Birmingham, to compete in the British veterans pentathlon 2000 championships where he finished in a very creditable fourth position in the O-50s category.

Results: long jump 4.69, 595 pts; javelin 30.46, 493; 200m 28.64, 561; discus 24.32 391; 1500m 5.06, 750; total points 2,790

Crook Ladies League

Crook Coach and Horses made their third maximum victory from ten matches when they whitewashed their hosts at Tow Law New Market A. This pushes them seventeen points clear of the New Market B at the top of the table. Third placed, Victoria Club are eight behind, but only two ahead of Tow Law Black Horse, who have a match in hand.

The leading individual scorers were Joan baker 156 and 135 and Jacqueline Charlton 121 for the New Market B, Jackie Clark 140 for the Queen's Head, Jackie Quarmby 140 for the Victoria Club, Gail Abbott 140 for the Coach and Horses, Martha Lewis 132 for the Cricket Club and Sharon Smith 126 for the Station.

Results: Tow Law Station 2, Crook Travellers Rest 9; Howden Australian 6, Tow Law Cattle Mart 5; Crook Queen's Head 10, Crook Olde Horse Shoe 1; Willington Commercial 5, Victoria Club 6; Tow Law Rose and Crown 9, Willington Lion and Unicorn 2; Crook Belle Vue 9, Crook Jelly's Bar 2; Crook CC 10, Billy Row Royal George 1; Tow Law New Market A 0, Crook Coach and Horses 11; Tow Law Dan's Castle 2, Tow Law New Market B 9; no result from Crook King's Head v Billy Row Green

Wear Valley Ladies League

Crook Three Blue Bells share the top of the table after coming away from Crook White Swan having dropped only one point. Crook Mill House are the joint leaders, but have played an extra game. Newcomers this season, Crook Crown are in third place with an unbeaten record from their three games, each won by the odd point.

The leading individual scorers are Michelle Lowe 140 for the Three Blue Bells, Linda Morgan 121 for the Crown, Fiona Gale 119 for the Golden Fleece, Kim Pritchard 117 for the Mill House and Paula Stephenson 116 for the White Swan.

Results: Crook Crown 5, Crook Coach and Horses 4; Crook White Swan 1, Crook Three Blue Bells 8; Bar 56 6, Oakenshaw Club 3; Crook Golden Fleece 6, Crook Mill House 3

Willington League

Willington Burn lost their sole claim on the top spot when they fell at home to the Prospect Club by six points. This defeat allowed Hunwick Joiners Arms to join the Burn on top, just one point ahead of the Prospect Club.

Trevor Allchurch followed up his best finish of the season with 158 with the only maximum scored this week.

Results: Hunwick Joiners Arms 4, Willington Lion and Unicorn 4; Oakenshaw Club 6, Hunwick Quarry Burn 2; Victoria Club 5, Willington Black Horse Inn 3; Willington Black Horse Tavern 7, Willington Commercial 1; Willington Burn 3, Prospect Club 7; Willington Cottles 4, Willington Brewer's Droop 4

Bass Ladies League

Croft Social Club B moved seven points ahead at the top of the table with Crook Queen's Head just a point ahead of the Sunnydene Lodge in second place.

The leading individual scorers were Ruby Boughey 131, Stephanie Pinkney 121 and Jackie Hutchinson 116 for the Queen's Head, Beverley Adams 128 and Claire Batey 117 for Sunnydene Lodge and Janine Oliver and Judith Boughey 125 each for Croft B.

Results: Croft Social Club A 2, Crook Queen's Head 9; Howden Sunnydene Lodge 4, Croft Social Club B 7; The Queen's Head and Croft SCB won the captain's points