City’s half marathon degenerates into ‘farce’

The race was called off at the eleventh hour after the expected delivery of water bowsers failed to turn up, with organisers concerned over the impact it would have on runners’ well-being.

However many of those lined up to participate in the race elected to run anyway, with thousands more setting off unaware that it had been cancelled in the first place owing to poor communication at the starting line.

Last night the race’s organisers were facing heavy criticism, with angry participants denouncing the events as a “farce”.

As word spread around the city of what had occurred, many residents took to the route to hand out bottled water to runners.

South Yorkshire Police, which was initially present on parts of 
the marathon route to assist with the road closures to motorists, said it was “working with the organisers, officers attempted to speak to participants who had 
chosen to run and divert them on to a shorter route to the finish line”.

Rosey Alexander, 38, from Sheffield, finished the run, but said: “It was a farce.”

Run that never was: Page 7; Comment Page 10.