After several weeks of doubt, the South of England 12 stage road relay championship will go ahead at Milton Keynes tomorrow.

The cows at the entrance to the town have been checked for foot-and-mouth and declared clear.

This event is always a tough race with teams needing to produce six good five-mile runners plus a further six talented three-milers if they are going to finish in the top 20.

Last year, Phoenix led the Sussex challenge, after a close battle with Brighton & Hove. They finished one place ahead of their rivals in tenth, which ensured them qualification for the National Championships.

Phoenix manager Paul Collicut said: "We suffered in the Sussex Championships at Christ's Hospital last weekend with several runners away at college and decided to concentrate on this weekend.

"I'm optimistic we can run as well as last year but the standard varies from year to year and last year was quite a strong race.

"We know that neither Steve Harris nor Leigh Beard will be fit enough to compete but South of England 1,500 metre champion Patrick Davoren and former Sussex 10,000 metre champion Geoff Hill, who clocked the fastest time at the Sussex Championships last weekend, are both running well.

"Tom Naylor is also running well at university and Tom Grady, who is in the Army and fit, will also be in the line up"

Brighton and Hove, who filled the first two team places at Christ's Hospital, will be without the services of anchor man Martin Airey but are hoping to produce a strong line up.

Crawley, who had to pull out at the last moment last year are hoping to raise a full team spearheaded by Kevin Holland and Gavin Thompson.