RACE OFF! Hastings Half Marathon cancelled as police probe and road closure continue

Doubt was cast over the big race because of a chemical incident that the police have been dealing with since Thursday night and fears grew on Friday night and Saturday that the police cordon was not going to be lifted in time.

Organisers and other parties involved left it as late as possible before giving a thumbs-up or thumbs-down to the race – but a final decision was finally made on Saturday evening, revealed shortly after 7pm. And it was not good news.

It came after an earlier statement provided at least some hope the race could be save.

When the news came, organisers expressed huge regret at having to make the decision.

Cancellation of the marathon is devastating for organisers, runners who have spent months training and the many charities who benefit from runners’ efforts – with some good causes making more from this event than any other single fundraiser each year.

The organisers’ full statement, well into Saturday evening, said: “It is with great disappointment that we have made the very difficult decision to cancel the Hastings Half Marathon.

"Please know this decision was not taken lightly, we have tried absolutely everything, and we fully understand how disappointing this is for everyone.

"Following advice from the police and multiple partners, we carefully explored all possible alternatives. However the safery of our runners, volunteers and supporters must always come first.

"At this stage we still have no confirmed time for when the cordon will be lifted or when we will have access to the course.

"Given this uncertainly we feel it is only fair we make this call now, allowing you as much time to adjust your plans while knowing we did everything we could.

"We will be reaching out to all registered runners, volunteers and partners with further details. We want to express our heartfelt thanks for your support and understanding during this incredibly challenging and unprecedented situation.

"Please bear with us as we make plans for the cancellation and we will be in touch with further information as soon as possible. Thank you again for your patience and support during this challenging situation – The Nice Work Team and Hastings Lions.”

The gloomy verdict came only a couple of hours after the Nice Work team gave an update which did seem to offer a glimmer of hope – that said: "We know you’re eagerly awaiting an update and we appreciate your patience. We are delaying our decision as there is potential for it to go ahead, which is being discussed by the agencies right now. We are trying everything possible before we make the decision to cancel.

"We understand this is frustrating and we don’t want to delay the decision, but if it means the event can still go ahead, we believe it’s worth waiting a couple more hours.

"Thank you for your patience, we will update you shortly – The Nice Work Team and Hastings Lions.”

How doubt was cast over the half marathon – and what’s been said and done since

As we reported on Thursday night and throughout Friday, more than 40 homes were evacuated after chemicals which ‘pose a threat to life’ were discovered at a property on Thursday evening.

Police said later on Friday searches in the property were expected to continue into today, and the cordon and road closures will remain in effect – and the public have been urged to avoid the area to help minimise traffic disruption.

The incident unfolded following reports of concerns about suspected chemicals found at an address on the A259 Marina, near the junction with Caves Road.

Late on Friday night, officials from Nice Work and Hastings Lions, joint organisers of the Hastings Half Marathon – which is one of the biggest events in the town’s calendar – put out a statement warning of the effect of the ongoing incident on the race.

The statement said: “We want to warn you about an ongoing situation potentially affecting the Hastings Half Marathon, following an incident in St Leonards-on-Sea that hasbeen widely reported on the news.

"Throughout the day (Friday) we have been in constant communication with relevant authorities. This remains a very fluid situation as following an update at 9pm this evening (Friday) we do not have a definite answer about whether the race can go ahead on Sunday.

"We know how much this race is loved and supported by the community, and we appreciate the dedication, training and fundraising efforts that many of you will have put into this year’s event.

"Therefore we will make a final decision by mid-afternoon tomorrow (Saturday). We do not want to cancel the race until the last possible moment so we can allow it to go ahead if possible.

"Your safety along with that of our supporters and volunteers is top priority. We appreciate your patience and support as we work to ensure a safe and enjoyable event for all.

"In agreement with the authorities we are continuing with the course set=up while we assess the situation further. We will update you as soon as we have more information. Thank you for your understanding – The Nice Work Team and Hastings Lions.”

In an update from organisers Nice Work posted Saturday lunchtime, they said: “We’re on-site setting up and hopeful the Hastings Half Marathon can go ahead, but it’s still uncertain if the area will reopen in time. A multi-agency meeting is happening soon, and we’ll announce a final decision around 4pm. Thanks for your patience and support!”

That followed an update from police on the ongoing investigation and work to deal with chemicals found, reported on here.

Photos from the scene on Saturday.

Just after 4pm on Saturday, Hastings police said multi-agency partners were working hard to bring the chemical incident to a close. They said: “Following safety advice it is now confirmed that the 100 metre cordon must remain in place while a large amount of chemicals still within the house are being assessed. This means that a decision to reduce the cordon will be made this evening.”

Chief Inspector James Scott said: “We continue to liaise closely with the organisers of the half marathon to support all available options to enable this to go ahead.”

At 5.10pm Nice Work issued a further statement on X: “We know you're eagerly awaiting an update, and we appreciate your patience. Our decision has been delayed as we are awaiting further guidance from the authorities, which could allow the race to go ahead. Thank you for your patience, we’ll update you within a couple of hours.”

The course this year was due to be a single loop starting at Sea Road and heading up to Queensway for a challenging incline before turning on to The Ridge. Runners would then have turned towards Ore before wending back towards the Old Town and down the promenade for a seafront finish.

This year's race included a change to the finishers’ stretch. Runners would have stayed on the promenade as they headed toward the finish line, rather than diverting on to the road. This would have offered a spectacular and scenic seaside finish and helps to improve traffic flow along the busy Grand Parade.

Over 3000 runners were expected at the start time while the Claremont Mini Run was set to draw around 400 young runners.

This is not the first time there has been a threat to the iconic town race being held – but long-time race director Eric Hardwick said that until this year, Covid and the lockdown that it forced was the only thing that had forced the race to be called off – until now.

"We have had the threat of foot and mouth disease, roadworks, cold weather, strong winds and murders – there’s always a lot of pressure to worry about, But we only had to cancel for Covid,” Eric told us.