DOWNPOURS have forced organisers of tomorrow's Race for Life at York's Knavesmire to put the event off - again.

Six and a half thousand women were due to descend on Knavesmire tomorrow for this year's two race events - which had already been postponed from June 27 because of last month's flooding.

Now race organisers have had to put the event off for the second time after this weekend's heavy rain drenched the ground.

They said it was unprecedented for the race to have been put off twice, but the severe weather had made the decision necessary because it meant the five kilometre track was too muddy and waterlogged to be safe for runners.

York Race for Life organiser Stuart Leslie said: "This is the first time we have had to postpone a Race for Life event twice. However we want to give the women of York a great day out and we need them to be safe whilst taking part.

"We are very sorry for the disappointment and inconvenience this will cause but we do hope everyone understands why we had to do it."

Nearly two centimetres of rain fell on York between Sunday and Monday - the equivalent of about ten days' worth in a normal month.

Rob Hutchinson, a forecaster at MeteoGroup UK, said the city could expect more bad weather this week - with a chance of further localised flooding.

He said: "The story is sunshine and showers but the showers do have the potential to be quite heavy, with a risk of hail and thunder.

"If you catch one of the showers there could be some quite intense rain."

But Mr Hutchinson said while there was a chance some flooding in this area, York was not likely to experience anything of the same scale as last month's downpours which brought chaos to the area - along with other parts of Yorkshire.

He added that any showers which did fall on the city were also unlikely to be prolonged.

Temperatures this week are set to be about average for this time of year, at about 20 degrees.

The new York Race for Life will now take place, on Knavesmire, on August 26.

Times for the new events have changed, and will now take place at 10.30am and 2.30pm.

Those who were entered in tomorrow's afternoon race in York will now be automatically entered in the morning race on August 26.

Those who were to have taken part in the evening race will now be entered into the rescheduled afternoon event.


Race family's holiday cancellation

PLANS for one woman to run the Race for Life in Austria while her family was running it in York have now been cancelled.

Jean Pulleyn, of Hempland Drive in York, had been due to run the Race for Life with her sister, daughter and granddaughter on June 28 before it was cancelled due to flooding on the Knavesmire. With the race re-scheduled for tomorrow, Jean realised she would be on holiday in Austria so arranged to run a three mile route at exactly the same time as the race began in York.

But, with the news that the Knavesmire is again waterlogged, the stunt will have to be cancelled. Her sister, Carol Trousdale of Pottery Lane Strensall, said the holiday rep in Austria was all set to run the race as well, but she thought her sister may well go ahead and run the route now as it has been arranged.

Carol was also running the race along with her niece and great niece meaning three generations of the same family would have been running in memory of Carol and Jean's mother, who died of cancer a year last Christmas.

Carol said: "I suppose Jean will be able to run with us the next time, but it is a disappointment."