GREAT BRITAIN marathon international Alyson Dixon was in sparkling form, finishing third overall in the Kielder 10K in Northumberland.

Chester-le-Street AC's 33-year-old Darlington 10K record-holder and record-breaking winner of this year's Tees Pride 10K clocked 36 mins 2 secs and was only beaten by the race winner, 21-year-old Gateshead Harrier Tim Calder (34.20) and runner-up Kevin Jeffries (35.31) of Tyne Bridge Harriers.

World Championships athlete Dixon, who has switched back to shorter distances after the disappointment of failing to win selection for the Olympic Games marathon, beat the second-placed woman, Tynedale's Joanne Lee, by nearly five minutes.

Former Elswick Harrier Ceri Rees, now living in Dorset and competing for Poole Runners, won yesterday's Kielder Marathon - his debut over the distance - in a time of 2 hours 39 mins 26 secs. The 39-year-old Tynesider won the English Schools and National Under-17 cross country championhips in 1990.

Results - Men: 1 T Calder (Gateshead) 34 mins 24 secs; 2 K Jeffries (Tyne Bridge) 35.31; 3 M Ward (Unattached M40) 37.02; 4 S Winter (Shettleston) 37.28; 5 J Skidmore (North York Moors) 37.42; 6 J Travis (Unatt) 38.58; 7 N Clark (Unatt) 39.59; 8 M Elsdon (Unatt) 40.05; 9 I Newton (Unatt M40) 40.17; 10 P Hutchinson (Tynedale) 40.19. Women: 1 A Dixon (Chester-le-Street) 36.02; 2 J Lee (Tynedale) 40.55; 3 F King (Unatt) 45.28.