A ROW has erupted over a new Bournemouth and Poole marathon before the event has been announced.

The Daily Echo can reveal an organising team has been chosen for the new event by a committee from the towns’ councils but the losing bidders have launched a stinging attack on the selection process.

Two members of the Poole Runners missed out on staging the event but Andrew Palmer felt their 55 page proposal was not seriously considered before a team involving Martin Yelling, husband of runner Liz Yelling, was chosen.

Mr Palmer said the 55-page document he and fellow runner John Blackburn produced was dismissed after they proposed to shut Sandbanks Road for less than an hour in order to include ‘iconic’ sites from across the conurbation.

“They felt it was too iconic and did not take into account local traffic problems,” he said.

“But we had everything in place to make it a fantastic event.”

He added: “I’ve become a little bit despairing with the situation.”

Mr Palmer’s bid hoped to build the event annually up to around 10,000 runners and they hoped to raise ‘millions’ for charities including Julia’s House.

He wanted to avoid clashing with other marathons by running the event next October and in doing so attract visitors out of the summer season.

Mr Palmer added; “The financial impact would’ve been enormous.

“With 10,000 runners all bringing another person that would’ve been 20,000 people in the centre of Bournemouth.”

He said he would still be interested in running the event if the other bid fell through but wishes Mr Yelling ‘the best of luck’.

A Bournemouth Borough Council spokesman said three organisations approached them in September last year wishing to hold a full 26-mile marathon.

And Jon Weaver, marketing and events manager, said it was a joint assessment ‘which was properly and fairly evaluated, scored and agreed by both councils’.

He said: “Each bid was considered using the same specific criteria, including how the proposed event would impact on traffic.

“We are looking forward to working with the appointed organiser.

“They have a strong reputation and experience in organising events of this size.

“We will be announcing a date in the near future.”

No formal agreement has been signed off yet but Mr Yelling said his team is working with a running consultancy company.

He said: “This will be an exciting addition to the area and will benefit it enormously.

“And I’m sorry to hear about the other bidders.”