A major running festival which attracts hundreds of participants to a market town each year has been cancelled for 2020.
The Bungay Festival of Running will not take place this year following the latest government advice surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, the Bungay Black Dog Running Club have announced.
The event, one of the biggest in the town’s sporting calendar was due to be held on April 19, with a marathon, half marathon, 10k and 5k races scheduled.
Race director Karen Gedge said: “Following government COVID-19 guideline with regard to sporting events and mass gatherings, and in consideration of the health and safety of the 1,000 runners, as well as the many marshals and event staff who would have taken part in the multi-race events, we believe this is the right decision.
“Unfortunately, the autumn 2020 race calendar is rather busy and it has not been possible to find an empty alternative slot to reschedule this year.”
Announcing the news on Facebook, race organisers stated: “If you have entered the 2020 race, please bear with us as it will take a little while to put a race fee refund procedure in place.”
The 2019 festival welcomed a record number of participants from a number of running clubs in East Anglia and beyond for their 37th year.
The event was held at the club’s new base at Pirnhow Street, in Ditchingham.
The cancellation is the latest blow to the sporting calendar this year, with both Norfolk and Suffolk Football Associations suspending all football activity.
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