LEIGH cross country star Peter Riley made a dream start to his senior international career when he led the Great Britain team home in the European championships.

Competing in Edinburgh on Sunday he crossed the line in 16th position leaving the country's higher profile runners trailing in his wake.

For Leigh Harrier Peter, a US business graduate, who earlier this year returned from a four years athletics scholarship at Iona College in New York, it was one short term target met -- one which he hopes will lead him towards a place in the 10,000m squad for next year's Olympic Games in Athens.

Peter, 24, of Mill Lane, Leigh, ran a sensible race over the six lap 10,000m plus course and was never out of the top 30 places in the televised run.

Sporting number 84, he finished just 54 seconds behind the four times winner Sergei Lebid from the Ukraine who clocked 30min 47sec and ahead of his five team mates who finished between 31st and 48th.

The former Bedford High School pupil made his first big breakthrough into athletics as a 15-years-old when he became the English Schools' CC champion and went on to become a junior international before winning a scholarship to the US.

Despite having the second fastest 10,000m track time of 28min 28sec in the country last year he does not qualify for a lottery grant and is seeking backing to help him reach his Olympic goal.

And business willing to help him on his way can contact him by e-mail at .rileyp@hotmail.com or ring him on 01942 514058.