He was the first of a record number of 313 finishers in the 11th staging of the event, organised by Morpeth Harriers.

Competitors faced slightly humid conditions for what is now one of the oldest races in the region still run on its original course.

In clocking 32m24s, Swinburn bettered his winning 2006 time by a mammoth 30 seconds, and the 20-year-old Bangor University student was also well pleased with his run following a strenuous series of International Mountain races that have brought him some success.

He was five seconds clear of his Morpeth clubmate Terry Wall at the halfway point, and was always wary of the possibility of a challenge from him, as he won in 2002 and 2003 in times of 31m11s and 31m27s.

Nick was forced to push up the pace on the second lap, and eventually came home with 27 seconds to spare over Wall. Third place went to Michael Morris, which meant a one, two, three for the Morpeth club.

Morris had won his own personal battle of wits with Paul Besford, formerly of Gateshead, now running as unattached, and crossed the finish line in 33m17s, giving him an 18 second margin over the fourth placed Besford.

Fifth place went to Sunderland Harrier Paul Given in 33m58s, just outsprinting Morpeth's Phil Walker by two seconds, who took the first Veteran Men's title. He was followed in seventh place by his club colleague and training partner Paul Waterston who clocked 34m51s and was second Veteran Man to finish.

Eighth place went to Paul Whalley of Blyth Running Club who clocked 35m24s. Ninth and tenth places went to Stephen Grey of Elswick (third Veteran Man) (35m30s) and Chris Jackson of Sunderland Strollers (35m34s).

Jimmy Bell of Elswick, who was first in the Over 60 Men's Veteran category, had a superb run to finish 11th in 35m39s. One place behind came the first Lady finisher, Fiona Matheson, who, in clocking an excellent 35m46s as a Veteran, easily smashed Tynedale's Lynne Marr's ten-year-old Veteran Women's record of 37m00s.

Les Atkinson's Veteran Men's course record of 32m14s, also set in 1998, remains unbroken, as do the Men's and Women's course records held by Morpeth Harrier Ian Hudspith (1997) 29m14s, and Jill Boltz (formerly Hunter) (1998) 34m46s.

Second and third placed Ladies were Angela Hibbs of Chester-le-Street who was 22nd in 36m34s, and Aiveen Fox of Morpeth, who was 26th in 37m21s, and had won the race for the last three years, and had finished second in 2004.