MORPETH Harriers' winter campaign has been boosted by two new signings.

Graeme Taylor has joined the club from Jarrow and Hebburn, while Ashley Gibson moves from Elswick Harriers to join the Northumbrians' women's section.

Taylor, who was the fastest scratch marker in the opening North-East Harrier League fixture at East Cramlington last month, was on top form again last weekend, winning the 5.8-mile Gibside Trail Race, while Gibson made a fine debut in the English Cross Country Relay Championships, helping Morpeth take seventh place as the team's fastest runner.

Taylor's move has not yet been cleared by the North of England First Claims Committee but he should be available to represent his new club in the three second half Harrier League fixtures.

* Ethiopian Yared Hagos, who set a new course record winning the Darlington 10K in August, collected a £200 bonus on top of the £200 first prize for setting a new mark in the Derwentwater ten-mile race.

Hagos, who has settled in Newcastle but still wears the colours of the Bradford Airedale club, clocked a rapid 49 mins 5 secs, ten seconds faster than Cumbrian fell-running legend Kenny Stewart ran in 1986.

The next test for 30-year-old Hagos comes next Saturday in the Brampton-Carlisle race, another ten miler, but he will be hard-pressed to come anywhere near the record of 45 mins 50 secs set in 1975 by Blackpool's Nick Sloane.

* Durham City Harrier Rosie Smith, runner-up in last weekend's Scottish 4K Cross Country Championships, defends her title in today's Edinburgh Braids Hill cross country race, which she also won in 2005 and 2008.

* Clubs are reminded that entries for the North-East Cross Country Championships at East Cramlington on December 10th close today.

* Heaton Harriers host their annual Town Moor Memorial Races in Newcastle tomorrow, with the main event over 10K starting at 11am.