THE Weymouth Half Marathon has been cancelled.

The event was due to take place on September 6 but has been called off with councillors citing safety concerns. This comes just a day after the Weymouth Ironman event, also scheduled for September, was called off because of similar worries.

Organisers have rescheduled the event for March 21 2021.

Charlie Sheppard, events manager for Weymouth Town Council, said: "Having carefully considered the health, safety and wellbeing of our community, and following discussions with Dorset Council in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, we regret to confirm that the Weymouth Half Marathon originally scheduled for Sunday, September 6 cannot take place at the moment and will return in March 2021.

"Both Dorset Council and Weymouth Town Council have requested that the Weymouth Half Marathon is rescheduled to next year; especially in light of local community concerns around such large scale competitor events taking place during the pandemic and their feeling that this is not the right time to be hosting such activities."

The Weymouth Half Marathon had already been postponed from its initial date of March 22 because of the pandemic and is now expected to take place a full year afterwards.

Event organiser, Just Racing UK, has confirmed that all the athletes entered in the September event have been automatically transferred to the new date and that there are 300 additional places for anyone wanting to enter the 2021 race.