SCOTTISH running star Laura Muir will headline the British team at the Stirling cross country next month.

The European 1500m champion and double world indoor medallist will be making her fifth straight appearance in the 4x1km relay and will be looking to preserve her unbeaten record in the event.

Muir, who also took the 1500m Diamond League title in Brussels in August will anchor the British mixed relay team.

The international event will be staged in Stirling for the first time, having been held in Edinburgh for the last 13 years.

Set against the iconic backdrop of Stirling Castle, it will feature some of the world's best athletes battling it out across challenging terrain.

World class runners from Great Britain and Northern Ireland will take on Team Europe and Team USA over a variety of distances.

The event, which will take place on Saturday, January 12, is free to spectate and will be shown live on BBC Sport to a UK and global audience from 1.15 to 3.15pm.

The championships are a major sporting event on the international calendar, with an estimated economic impact in the first year of up to £1million, while the added value of media coverage and promotion of Stirling is estimated to be worth a further £3million.

Stirling Council leader Scott Farmer said: “I am thrilled that a top athlete like Laura Muir is coming to Stirling for the championships, adding some stardust to this exciting event.

“Having someone of Laura’s calibre participating in the relay race is a sign of Stirling’s growing reputation as a top-class host for sporting events, and we are looking forward to welcoming all the other athletes and visitors around the world to our city.

“This feast of sporting action will deliver a significant economic and tourism boost for the city and allow us the opportunity to showcase it to a world-wide audience as a must-visit destination.”