ANCHORMAN Peter Newton was the fastest sixth leg runner in the Nike ERRA Road Relay Championships in Clumber Park, Nottingham, as he lifted Morpeth Harriers three positions to finish 16th and top North-East team.

Still well below full strength, the Northumbrians made a hesitant start as Nathan Shrubb finished in 61st place.

But Morpeth moved steadily through the field, with Teessider Jonathan Taylor overtaking 22 runners as fourth fastest second stage runner before former junior fell running champion Nick Swinburn passed 15 rivals as he ran the ninth fastest time on the third leg.

Former Great Britain international Ian Hudspith - now a veteran - moved up nine places on the penultimate leg before 2011 Northern 10,000m track champion Newton completed the race in great style.

He ran the fastest sixth leg time of 14 mins 59 secs for the 5K as Morpeth finished nearly four minutes behind the winning team, London club Newham and Essex Beagles.

Dan Garbutt ran the second fastest opening leg of 14 mins 50 secs to emerge as the region's quickest individual.

But his team, Durham City Harriers, faded to 41st on their debut in the event as Gateshead finished second North-East outfit in 20th place.

Results - Senior Men (6 x 5k approx): 1 Newham & Essex Beagles 1 hour 30mins 36 secs; 2 Liverpool 1:31:07; 3 Belgrave 1:31:16; 16 Morpeth 1:34:12 (N Shrubb (61) 17.17, J Taylor (39) 14.59, N Swinburn (24) 15.16, J Scott (28) 16.34, I Hudspith (19) 15.07, P Newton (16) 14.59); 20 Gateshead A 1:36:08; 41 Durham City 1:41:01; 47 Gateshead B 1:42:29; 49 Tyne Bridge 1:45:23. Fastest times: 1 J Mellor (Liverpool) 14.23; 7 D Garbutt (Durham City) 14.50.

* Newly-crowned North-East half marathon champion James Bulman continued his run of successes yesterday with a comfortable victory in the Hilly Clothing Richmond Castle 10K.

The 41-year-old New Marske veteran clocked 33 mins 51 secs to beat Richmond and Zetland's Fergus Roberts by 25 seconds and record his fourth 10K victory this year. The women's race was won by unattached athlete Lucy Walker, who beat Jarrow and Hebburn's Alex Snook by nearly a minute.

Results - Men: 1 J Bulman (New Marske M40) 33.51; 2 F Roberts (Richmond and Zetland) 34.16; 3 A Tatham (North York Moors M40) 36.21; 4 W Jackson (Helm Hill) 36.37; 5 D Fielden (Aycliffe M40) 37.44; 6 A Jefford (Ripon) 38.15; 7 M Joyeux (Quakers) 38.20; 8 N Watson (Quakers) 38.25; 9 D McCreadie (Ripon) 38.32; 10 P Finch (Army) 38.41. M45 P Lewis (Billingham Marsh House) 39.21; M50 P Teece (BMH) 39.03.

Women: 1 L Walker (Unatt) 38.54; 2 A Snook (Jarrow & Hebburn) 39.46; 3 M Avery (Sunderland) 40.27; 4 E Kitchen (Bingley) 43.17; 5 K Simpson (Durham City) 40.27. W40 J Burgess (Denby Dale) 43.47; W45 J Keavney (Swaledale) 43.55.

* Sunderland Harrier Craig Isherwood won yesterday's multi-terrain Hellhole 10K at Stanley. The 27-year-old Wearsider, who is in his first full season of senior athletics, was competing in his 30th event of the year and enjoyed only his second victory following his success in the Hamsterley Forest 10K in July

Isherwood clocked 36 mins 41 secs on the testing course which went through Hellhole Wood, beating local athlete Isaac Dunn, of Blackhill Bounders, by an emphatic 2 mins 35 secs.

The women's race was won by Angela Hunter, who has moved back to her original club, Jarrow and Hebburn, after a spell with Chester-le-Street AC. The Tynesider won in 42 mins 55 secs, beating Chester-le-Street Over-50 Heather Robinson by 24 seconds.

Results - Men: 1 C isherwood (Sunderland) 36 mins 41 secs; 2 I Dunn (Blackhill) 39.16; 3 G Arthur (South Shields M50) 39.20. Women: 1 A Hunter (Jarrow & Hebburn) 42.55; 2 H Robinson (Chester-le-Street W50) 43.19; 3 S Marr (Tyne Bridge) 46.34.

* Tyne Bridge Harrier Robert Clark won yesterday's Run Northumberland 10K in a time of 34 mins 49 secs, beating Wallsend's Andy Graham by 65 seconds. Jarrow and Hebburn's Angela Hibbs was first woman in 37 mins 52 secs, beating Tynedale veteran Karen Robertson by over two minutes.

* Bobby Tinkler, the 87-year-old long-serving president of Chester-le-Street AC, has been presented with a Durham County Council Services to Sport Award at a ceremony in Newton Aycliffe.