RUNNERS from Bury and Radcliffe are among the competitors whose finishing times have been voided because the Manchester Marathon course was inadvertently too short for three consecutive years.

Members of running clubs across the borough are among the thousands of people who have had their accomplishments in the race de-recognised due to the mistake.

Phil Holland, secretary of the Association of UK Course Measurers (AUKCM), said the organisation had re-measured the 2013, 2014 and 2015 distances after concerns were raised and found them all around 380m off the official standard length.

He said: "The marathon course was measured by an accredited measurer in 2013 and was used for the race that year.

"The measurement was also used as the basis for the races in 2014 and 2015, with some adjustments.

"Following the 2015 race, there were suggestions that the course was short and AUKCM used GPS traces and video evidence from runners, together with satellite mapping services, to check the distance run on the day."

The measuring wheel used to mark out the 2013 course was found to have been wrongly calibrated, which Mr Holland said would have accounted for about half the missing distance, although the cause for the remaining half has not been pinpointed.

Officials spotted the error before the 2016 edition of the ASICS Greater Manchester Marathon went ahead on April 10 and so the organisers were able to tweak the course and have its distance certified in time.

Mr Holland added: "AUKCM regret the error in measurement and the effect it has on runners' times.

"Significant errors in measurement are rare - our procedures are designed to find them at the reporting or checking stages."

Byron Edwards, of Bury Athletic Club, said: "I think everyone is a bit disappointed, especially those who have only done one marathon before.

"I would still class it as a marathon as you probably run 400m before the start line, but it's a shame that those times are gone from the record books.

"It's also a shame for the organisers, because it isn't their fault either."

Chris Paxton, chairman of Radcliffe AC, said: "A lot of our runners took part in those years and are understandably upset. The people I feel most sorry for are those who run it for charity and may have done it as a one-off.

"They spent so many hours putting in the hard miles to get ready and it can be a once in a lifetime experience. To be told that you actually haven't completed a marathon is heart-breaking.

"At least our runners have the chance to put it right in the future."

The error affects a combined 24,000 people who ran the three marathons between 2013 and 2015.

The organiser of the Greater Manchester Marathon is Xtra Mile Events.

It said: "Responsibility for measuring of the length of the course in 2013, 2014 and 2015 laid with AUKCM, and we relied on AUKCM certification in holding the race over the specified distance.

"It has been confirmed that the course was measured incorrectly, most likely due to a calibration issue.

"AUKCM have agreed that the course was the same as had been certified.

"AUKCM have taken responsibility for this by issuing this statement.

"Xtra Mile Events understand the anguish and huge disappointment this creates, and want to assure our runners that we share the upset and emotion from the AUKCM news regarding the race distance."