Concerned runners have hit out after they were forced to change their regular route.

Members of the Workington Parkrun have changed their regular Saturday morning course due to obstructions and hazards.

A traveller settlement has moved on to land next to St Helens Business Park, close to where the weekly runs are held.

And runners allege that they have seen loose dogs and that damage has been caused to the cycle path, forcing them to take a different route.

One Parkrun volunteer said: “We found an obstruction at the halfway point which led across the path.

“There were electric extension wires, as well as a kennel with a dog on a very long rope.

“We realised it wouldn’t have been safe to run there so we rearranged the course turning right after the footbridge instead of left.”

Allerdale Borough Council said that they were aware of the travellers site and that they were in the process of trying to evict them.

A spokesman said: “We are aware that the travellers have moved onto the land we own close to the cycle path in Workington’s Northside area.

“There is a statutory process we have to go through. We are obliged to carry-out some welfare checks on the travellers before serving notice of eviction.

“However, we have served notice on them yesterday morning and they have until Monday morning to leave the site. If they do not then we can apply for a court order.”

The travellers site was discovered on an inspection of the route on October 1.

Parkrun volunteers have reported the property damage on the Northside site to police, and will monitor the course over the next week, reverting to the new route “when it is safe to do so.”

They are also hoping that the area will be cleaned up before the regular course resumes.