Hole forces Market Drayton race re-route

Race organisers need to remeasure the 10 kilometre route of a major Shropshire road race after a collapsed sewer caused them to alter their plans.

Organisers of the Market Drayton 10K need to re-measure the course of Sunday's race after a collapsed sewer caused a pothole to appear in Great Hales Street earlier this week.

They said they need to remeasure the course to ensure it remains exactly 10 kilometres after tweaking the route to avoid Great Hales Street, where the pothole and road closure are.

The new route is expected to add about 100 metres to the course but organisers say they will shorten the end of the course at The Grove School playing fields accordingly.

Tim Beckett, one of the community organisers who saved this year's race after key sponsor Muller pulled out, said it was "a spanner in the works".

But he added it was vital to remeasure the course otherwise any records on the day could be null and void.

The race begins at 11am at The Grove School in Market Drayton and will see several town centre roads closed for the duration.

A spokeswoman from Severn Trent Water said officials were due to be on-site until tomorrow when it is hoped the road could reopen.