Merrien will make his debut for Great Britain in Belgium on Sunday

Guernsey runner Lee Merrien has said he is aiming to get himself in the British athletics team on a regular basis.

Merrien, 29, came third at the British cross-country trials earlier this month to cement his place at the European Championships in Brussels on Sunday.

"I think I've moved on this season and I'd like to think that this is the stepping stone now to being a regular international," he told BBC Guernsey.

It is Merrien's biggest event since he ran at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Merrien ran for Guernsey in the 1500m in Melbourne, finishing eighth in his heat but missing out on the final.

"Arguably the Commonwealth Games is bigger, but in terms of representing Great Britain for the first time it makes it a little bit more special.

"It's a different league but hopefully I'll raise my game and move up a level.

"I've not experienced this sort of level of competition on cross-country. It's the first time I've competed at a race of this standard and depth of strength in the field.

"It's new but it's something I'm really looking forward to," he added.

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