European Cross Country champion Mo Farah will lead the British challenge for top honours at the BUPA Great Manchester Run next Sunday.

Farah will contest what is expected to be a superfast 10 kilometres where Haile Gebrselassie's world record of 27minutes 02seconds is expected to be threatened.

World cross country champion Zersenay Tadesse from Eritrea, Sammy Wanjiru the world half marathon record holder and his fellow Kenyan Micah Kogo who just missed Gebrselassie's figure a few weeks ago by five seconds, head the field.

The trio of African stars are confident if weather conditions are helpful, they can make a genuine attack on the Ethiopian's performance he achieved in Doha in December 2002.

A secondary target will be breaking the UK All-Comers' record of 27min 25sec which saw Gebrselassie score a runaway win in the Manchester race two years ago.

Farah's preparations has seen last summer's European 5,000metres silver medallist preparing for his summer season at a warm weather altitude camp in South Africa.

"I'm told he's in great shape and really looking forward to mixing it with the overseas opposition in Manchester," said Matthew Turnbull, the race's elite athletes director added.

Turnbull added: "You could say it is over-distance for him, but I know he is planning to move up at some stage from 5,000m and has even contemplated doing a track 10K sometime this year.

"But we have to be realistic. While delighted Farah is competing and I know he'll be giving it his best shot, we must acknowledge he is putting his neck on the line,

"His three rivals are much more experienced road runners and at the weekend will be highly motivated knowing on the very flat course, they could enter the record books."

Turnbull also revealed Russia's Lidiya Grigoryeva winner of last month's Boston Marathon and Rita Jeptoo of Kenya who preceded her as the race winner, have also been signed-up for the meeting.

The pair tackle Latvia's reigning New York marathon champion Jelena Prokopcuka who was runner-up behind them in their respective victories while Jo Pavey will be carrying British hopes.