Increasing costs means this year’s Run Preston will be the last.

The popular 10k, 5k and 2k fun runs have been going for more than a decade.

Taking in a sweeping route round Avenham and Miller Park – along with the River Ribble section – the run on Sunday 24 September is to be the final time runners make their way round the city.

Steve Ashcroft, 64, told the Lancashire Post, he was calling time on the event – citing a lack of support from local authorities.

He said: “I get the feeling that LCC don’t want it.

“It’s fun, people in Preston turn out for it but there are just so many problems in front of us, it wears you down.”

Costs for staging the event include road closures, advertising these and the legal cover required. Mr Ashcroft said these costs had gone up by £2,000 since last year.

He also said with the revamp of the Outdoor Covered Market they were struggling for space for the registration process for runners.

Read more: Winner of Run Preston left bloodied after being charged by a dog

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: “We work with event organisers to advise on road closures and traffic management which may be needed to ensure their event runs safely and with minimal disruption to other road users.

“We require event organisers to cover the cost of around £600 to the county council of putting in place a legal order to close the road.

“However the further cost of advertising the closure, which is needed to comply with highways regulations, is not in the county council’s control.”

Read more: Pictures from last year’s Run Preston

This year’s race is still going ahead and there’s places available for all races via the Run Preston website.

The 5k is £8 for club runners, £10 for unattached, £14 for the 10k club runners and £16 for unattached.

The Avenham Park fun run is £5 for adults and £3 for children.

Have you taken part in Run Preston? What do you think about the decision? Let us know in the comments below