Marathon organisers hit back at money allegations

Channel 4's Dispatches claims three-quarters of the marathon's 17.8m turnover was eaten up by salaries and undisclosed costs.

Last night marathon chief executive Nick Bitel branded the claims "outrageous", saying 100 per cent of the event's profit went to good causes.

He added that organisers were seeking legal advice over claims in the programme, due to be screened tonight.

London Marathon Limited and the London Marathon Charitable Trust issued a statement "totally" denying any wrongdoing, insisting the event had "nothing to hide".

A spokesman for the organisers said: "We have nothing to hide and all our financial activities, whether it is the actual organisation of the London Marathon, the distribution of grants from the London Marathon Charitable Trust or our relationships with charities and runners, are transparent and subject to intense scrutiny by independent organisations and approved by them."

The Dispatches investigation focused on the amounts charities pay to the organisers to enter runners in the event.

Around 20,000 runners secure places in the marathon through a ballot, paying 35 each, but about 600 charities buy thousands of further places for runners, costing 300 per place.

Dispatches: Tracing the Marathon's Millions is on Channel 4 at 8pm tonight.