ONE of York's best-known running clubs was due in court today over a row with a wheelchair athlete.

Disabled Douglas Paulley has taken Knavesmire Harriers to court in a bitter dispute over the famous Brass Monkey race, which takes place every January.

Mr Paulley, 27, from Wetherby, said he had first taken part in the half-marathon in 2004, completing the course in a little over two hours.

He said he had contacted the club in 2003 to let them know he was a wheelchair user. He turned up on the day to start the race - which begins and ends at Knavesmire - and was only eventually allowed to join about a thousand other athletes taking part after a row with course officials.

When he tried to register for the challenge the following year, he came across a notice on the Harriers' website saying wheelchair users were not allowed to compete. The notice was still on the site yesterday.

Now Mr Paulley, who suffers from autonomic dysfunction - a condition which affects the nervous system - is taking his case to Leeds County Court under the Disability Discrimination Act.

He said in a statement he had tried to settle the issue out of court, but was now seeking damages for injury to his feelings. He said he also wanted a statement that discrimination had taken place and an order to prevent the same thing happening in the future.

He said: "I'm not letting these people who have treated me so shabbily get away with it. I don't believe there was a just reason for them not allowing me to take part in the race. Hopefully, this will make a difference for other disabled people - it will reverberate around the racing community."

The Harriers Club has declined to comment about the case until after today's hearing.

But Mr Paulley said he believed they would argue that he did not complete the route unaided, that he did not let them know in advance he used a wheelchair, and that he was nearly hit by cars on several occasions during the race.

Updated: 10:28 Friday, December 09, 2005