ABOUT 1,500 runners raced joyfully through countryside near York today as the city's first Brass Monkey Half Marathon in two years took place.

Race director Richard Yeomans said it was 'absolutely fantastic' to get the annual race going again after last year's event had to be cancelled because of the pandemic lockdown.

He said:"The atmosphere has been electric this morning. People are just so grateful to be out and about again."

He said there were 1,700 places available in the race, and he calculated that approximately 1,500 took part, some having had to pull out after testing positive recently.

He said the runners came from 'everywhere,' with one from as far away as the Isle of Skye and others from London and Devon.

Another man from Australia was planning to run as part of a visit to the UK to see relatives - if he was able to make it through all the Covid restrictions.

Mr Yeomans said there was also a large contingent of runners from the north east and perhaps 300-400 from York and the surrounding area.

He said the race was popular and attractive to runners because the course was flat and fast. "People want to come and race it."

He paid tribute to the enthusiasm of the race marshals, with about 170 people having volunteered to take on the role and about 70 to 80 of them positioned along the route of the race.

The runners set off from Bishopthorpe Road and ran through Bishopthorpe and Appleton Roebuck before returning to a finishing line behind York Racecourse.

Kieran Walker, 23, from Durham, gestured in triumph after he was the first to cross the line, having completed the course in just over an hour.

His time was close to the York Brass Monkey's all-time record of 1 hour, 5 minutes and 21 seconds, set in 2011.

Kieran said it was the first time had competed in the York Brass Monkey and the weather - cloudy with just a little light rain at times - was 'perfect' for the race.

Organisers put a series of measures in place to ensure people's safety from Covid.

Spectators were urged to keep out of the Finish Arena and watch from the sidelines around the car park.

The organisers also had to provide portable toilets for the runners, as facilities were not available this year at the racecourse because of Covid restrictions.