A POPULAR half-marathon has been postponed due to fears about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The Great North Run, takes place every year in Newcastle and was due to celebrate its 40th year this year.
However, due to coronavirus, the event has been postponed until September 12, 2021.
Runners who had secured a place for the 2020 event can choose to enter in 2021 or get a refund for their entry fee.
The Junior and Mini Great North Run, and the Great North 5km, which are typically held the day before the half-marathon, have been cancelled.
Paul Foster, chief executive of The Great Run Company, said: “We’re sorry that we’ve had to cancel the Great North Run, we haven’t taken the decision lightly. The event raises more than £25m for charity and is an important day in the North East calendar.
“Over the past few months we worked hard to try and find a way to stage the Great North Run while observing social distancing rules, and most importantly, not impacting on our local NHS. We also looked at holding the Great North Run later in the year.
“However, as things stand, and even as the situation improves, it’s not going to be possible to meet these goals with any certainty, and so we have concluded that the best course of action is to cancel.”
