After a couple of false starts, hopes are high that Norfolk's first road marathon in decades can finally go ahead.

The Mammoth Marathon, planned since 2019 by North Norfolk District Council and the North Norfolk Beach Runners, has been relaunched with a new date of May 15 set.

A total of 1,000 runners will take part in the run, which will wend its way from Sea Palling to Sheringham.

Eastern Daily Press: The route for the North Norfolk Mammoth Marathon in 2022.The route for the North Norfolk Mammoth Marathon in 2022. (Image: NNDC)

Clive Hedges, the beach runners' chairman, called the announcement an "exciting moment in the Norfolk road running calendar".

Mr Hedges said: “This will be the first road marathon run in Norfolk since the original Norfolk Marathon came to an end in 1990.

"Marathon running remains incredibly popular and to have this race in the calendar for 2022 is a real bonus.”

The run was originally penciled in for May 17, 2020, but put back to May 16 last year after the coronavirus outbreak.

Covid caution also put the brakes on that plan, but with high levels of vaccination and the latest wave of the virus seemingly peaking, organisers think the new date will prove to be a winner.

Although many runners who earlier put their names down for the run have had their participation rolled over, a new tranche of places will go up for grabs on Friday, January 21 at 9am online at www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/mammothmarathon.

As well as the full 26.2-mile (42.2km) marathon, there will also be a half-marathon, starting in Mundesley.

The 'mammoth' in the run's name is a reference to the council's Deep History Coast tourism campaign and the coastline's abundance of fossils - including those of prehistoric mammoths.

Virginia Gay, NNDC's portfolio holder for culture and wellbeing said: “We are all delighted to host this ‘mammoth’ event which will bring together our community, as we welcome new and returning visitors while celebrating this wonderful stretch of North Norfolk’s coast.

“We are pleased to announce that we will have 1,000 participants in total. It's good to know that so many runners have chosen our Deep History Coast as their destination."

The marathon is sponsored by sports medicine clinic Sportlink, and will support charities including Break, Norfolk’s Big C, East of England Air Ambulance and The Benjamin Foundation.