Morpeth Harriers travel to Leigh, Lancashire, today hoping to improve on last year's second placing in the North of England men's six-stage road relay championship.

The Northumbrians finished only nine seconds behind winners Leeds City at Warrington after evergreen veteran Ian Hudspith moved from third place on the anchor-leg with the third fastest time of the day, only three seconds slower than Liverpool's Johnny Mellor, who completed the fastest circuit. Morpeth warmed up for today's event by having seven finishers in the first 48 in last weekend's Great North Run, where the club's Olympian Nick McCormick finished ninth on his debut over the distance, with 41-year-old Hudspith in 24th place.

Morpeth's women's team came out tops in the four-stage championship, with opening stage runner Melissa Turner running the fourth fastest time of the day.