A SLICE of British film history was recreated in York when an athlete raced against the noon chimes of York Minster - and won.

Yesterday, Birmingham-based athlete Carl Warren, the fastest male marathon runner in the UK going into the London Marathon 2003, demonstrated the specially-measured circuit of Dean's Park, beside the Minster, at the official launch of the npower dash - a race between up to eight athletes which will take place in September.

The 450-metre race, which must be completed within the 63 seconds of the chimes, is based on the famous quadrangle scene in the Oscar-winning film Chariots Of Fire when two athletes raced each other and the noon chimes of Trinity College, Cambridge.

The race will take place for real on Saturday, September 13. There will also be different sporting activities throughout the morning in the run-up to the dash. All proceeds will go to Martin House Children's Hospice, near Wetherby.

Martin Vevers, Chapter Clerk at the Minster, said: "The race itself in September is awaited with eager anticipation and this preview at the launch is believed to be a first as no such attempt has ever been made to beat the chimes previously."

The npower dash is already held in Lichfield, Durham and Lincoln.

Mr Warren, of Birchfield Harriers, who won the npower dash at Lichfield in 1999 and won the Reading Marathon this year, has been invited to take part in September's event alongside local athletes.

Kevin Wilson, of organisers Sport Ist Enterprises, said: "The dash is a unique event, combining athletics activities for the youngsters with races for senior local athletes, then finishing with the dash itself with high-quality athletes racing time and each other in a blaze of colour and with real Corinthian endeavour."

Updated: 10:20 Thursday, July 24, 2003