Chaos for thousands of runners as Great Eastern Run is axed with them on the start line as armed police race to report of man ‘acting suspiciously’ on the route amid fears he had planted a bomb
- Half marathon was due to take place in Peterborough this morning but called off
- Organisers cancelled the race half an hour after it was supposed to start
- Hundreds were left disappointed and forced to trudge back through the rain
The Great Eastern Run half marathon was cancelled this morning after a man was seen acting suspiciously near the race route.
Organisers left hundreds of runners disappointed when they decided to call off the event half an hour after it was due to start in Peterborough.
Cambridgeshire Police said they advised organisers to cancel over safety fears but there were rumours among runners of a bomb around mile eleven.
The Great Eastern Run half marathon in Peterborough was cancelled this morning after a man was seen acting suspiciously near the route (police car pictured at the scene)
Hundreds of runners (some pictured) were left disappointed after organisers called off the event after rumours of a bomb in Peterborough this morning
Organiser Dick Hughes told the BBC: ‘Basically all I know is what I’ve been able to announce. It is sad.
‘It is a police matter, and the police have advised us to cancel for the safety of the spectators and the runners.
‘Last year we had an incident that meant we had to postpone the start, we’ve always been proud of the fact that since 2006 we’ve always started at 10am for the half marathon.
‘Last year we couldn’t we were 10 minutes late, and now we’ve got this one, but this one is far more serious. It’s a very disappointing day for Peterborough.’
Cambridgeshire Police said they advised organisers to cancel the race over fears for the safety of runners (pictured going home) and spectators
This runner was hoping to race money for children’s charity the NSPCC
Cambridgeshire Police said in a tweet: ‘We were called at 9:50am this morning with reports of a man acting suspiciously in Alexandra Road, Peterborough close to the route of the @PerkinsGER.
‘This information was passed to the race director who made the decision to cancel the race #GER #greateastern #greateasternrun’.
The official Great Eastern Run Twitter account posted: ‘Owing to a Police incident the Perkins Great Eastern Run has been cancelled.
‘Further updates will be provided when we can. Apologies to all and thank you for your patience.’
A police officer is pictured surveying the scene in Peterborough this morning