DEPLETED Morpeth Harriers tumbled from last year's runners-up position to ninth but still finished the North-East's top team in the North of England Six-Stage Road Relays Championships at Leigh Sports Village.

Only former North-East cross country champion Lewis Timmins remained of the 2011 silver-medallists, with none of the previous week's Great North Run contestants taking part as the Northumbrian club was forced to field one of its youngest-ever teams. Nathan Shrubb was their fastest runner, moving from 14th to eighth on the third leg - their highest position - as Morpeth finished in 1 hour 55 mins 37 secs, over six minutes behind winners Altrincham.

The North-East's other leading representatives, Gateshead and New Marske, were also well below full strength, finishing 11th and 26th respectively. Durham City's opening leg runner, Daniel Garbutt, was the region's fastest finisher, clocking 18 mins 9 secs for the six kilometres to finish in third place, only to see his team fade back to 26th.

Last year, Morpeth Harriers won the women's four-stage championship but this time there were no representatives from the North-East.

The National Road Relays Championships will not now be held in Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield, on October 13 because of an E-coli outbreak which forced the cancellation of the Midlands Road Relay Championships on Saturday. A new venue for the National Championships will be announced.

Results - North of England Men's Road Relay Championship (6x6K): 1 Altrincham 1 hour 49 mins 25 secs; 2 Liverpool 1:49:53; 3 Salford 1:49:59; 9 Morpeth 1:55:37; 11 Gateshead 1:56:36; 21 New Marske 1:59:46; 26 Durham City 2:01:08; 28 Tyne Bridge 2:02:28; 37 37 Loftus & Whitby 2:04:59; 39 Low Fell 2:06:01; 44 Sunderland 2:06:58; 55 Hartlepool Burn Road 2:10:19.

North of England Women's Four-Stage Championship: 1 Rotherham 52 mins 20 secs; 2 Leigh 52.30; 3 Liverpool 53.00.