Darlington 10K winner Martin Scaife is one of three Morpeth Harriers picked to represent the North-East in the AAA Championships which are part of the big Auckland Castle 10K on Sunday.

The 33-year-old supermarket manager, who was only five seconds away from his own course record at Darlington, joins brothers Mark and Ian Hudspith and exiled Geordie Dave Anderson, now running for Belgrave, in a strong regional team.

Last year the North-East were runners-up to Greater Manchester for the AAA team title and will be determined to go one better this time, even without the services of the injured Stephen Hepples, who was first counter in 2004.

The race, which is supported by The Northern Echo, has again attracted a sell-out entry of over 800 runners and foreign athletes are expected to continue their domination of the event, which started in 1999.

Course record holder Julius Kimtai, who won the race three times, clocking his best time of 28.45 in 2000, is again absent, but fellow Kenyans Mike Kigen and Mikah Kogo and the UK-based Wilfred Tarragon, twice runner-up in the Blaydon Race take part.

Blaydon Race winner Katherine Mutwa will be renewing her rivalry with Ethiopian-born Birhan Dagne, who was second to the Kenyan on the banks of the Tyne in June.

The seventh running of the Auckland Castle 10K gets underway at 9.30 in Bishop Auckland Market Place and finishes in the grounds of Auckland Castle, home of the Bishop of Durham.