A NEW women's course record was set as Kenyan athletes continued their domination of the big Auckland Castle 10K yesterday. But a little-known British athlete almost came up with the shock of the season as he was just pipped for the £1,000 men's prize.

Lancastrian Peter Riley, whose summer was wrecked by injury, took on the top African runners and was only beaten by five seconds by teenage debutant Mikah Kogo.

Kogo had to pull out all the stops in his first 10K road race - and Riley's superb challenge over the final kilometre took the African to within four seconds of the five-year-old course record.

Teenager Olga Kimayio did not have the same competition in the women's race, leading from the start to set a new course record of 32 mins 45 seconds, beating defending champion Natalie Harvey by a comfortable 30 seconds.

But it was Riley's run which was the main talking point in the majestic grounds of Auckland Castle, home of the Bishop of Durham.

Kenyans had won the previous six Auckland Castle contests, with three-times victor Julius Kimtain setting the record of 28 mins 45 secs in 2000.

Riley appeared to have fallen by the wayside after 5K as he was dropped by Kogo, who passed the halfway mark in 14 mins 25 secs.

But the 26-year-old Leigh Harrier gave chase to the three Kenyan leaders and made up his 100 metres deficit to sit on Kogo's shoulder, much to the delight of the roadside onlookers, by the 8K mark after a rapid kilometre of 2 mins 51 secs.

And the African leader got a shock as Riley pushed into the lead after 9K and had to summon all his strength to hold off the British challenger to win in 28 mins 49 secs.

In stuttering English 22-year-old Kogo admitted afterwards: "He gave me a big surprise and I had to run very hard to win.

"I only got to England on Saturday and I was tired by the flight - my legs were still heavy and the last kilometre was very tough.

"I didn't always think I would win."

The £1,000 prize for the British finisher was come consolation for Riley's disappointing summer, when injury forced him to drop out of the Commonwealth Games 10,000m trial.

The part-time joiner, who main claim to fame was leading the British team home in this year's European Cross Country Championships, abandoned his track season to concentrate on regaining his fitness.

The Auckland Castle event was his first real competitive test - and he surprised himself with his return to top form.

He said: "I knew I was in good shape but I didn't expect to be a position where I would be challenging for the lead.

"I got dropped at 5K and I had to work hard to get back on the pace. But when I caught the leader I fancied my chance and I thought I would give it a go.

"He just managed to get away from me but I was still full of running at the end."

Riley was disappointed not to get the Commonwealth Games qualifying time and he might yet travel to Australia in a late bid to win selection for Melbourne in March.

He said: "It was something I'd really set my sights on - I have never been to a major championships. I'm not big-headed about my running, but if I was selected for the Commonwealth Games I am sure I would give a good account of myself."

The North-East team of Ian Hudspith, who was 11th, Martin Scaife (13th) and Mark Hudspith (26th) won the Inter Counties Championship and the three Morpeth Harriers took the team trophy back to Northumberland.

Women's winner Kimayio, 18, said: "This was my first race outside Kenya and I am very pleased.

"In Kenya everyone goes off very hard and that's what I did here, even though there was a strong entry.

"I didn't realise I had gone off so hard until I realised I reached halfway in 15 mins 45 secs, which was very fast and I am not really surprised I tired near the finish."

Harvey, who finished in 33 mins 15 secs, 13 seconds slower than her winning time last year, won the AAA 10K senior women's championship.

The North-East women's team of Aiveen Fox (11th), Bernadette Taylor (16th) and Alison Raw (28th) finished third behind Lancashire and Surrey in the Inter Counties Championship.