Plymouth Half Marathon: Car driven into path of runners Published duration 21 May 2018

media caption Woman drives car through half marathon in Plymouth

The actions of a woman who drove on to the route of the Plymouth Half Marathon have been described as "disgusting".

Lorna Empson, a marshal at the race, said the driver was trying to get on to a main road and claimed "there was no other way out" due to road closures.

"People were not happy with her, [and] I cannot blame them as she could have caused a serious accident," she said.

Local MP Luke Pollard said it was "very silly" in light of terror attacks where cars were used as weapons.

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall police said: "We believe that no injuries were caused by this action.

"Officers from the roads policing unit are aware of this incident and inquiries are under way into this matter."

A spectator captured footage of the car pulling out of Hawkers Avenue in front of the runners on Sunday.

'Recent attacks'

One said he was watching his brother run the race when he heard "shouting and a bang".

"[I] looked down the road and saw she'd pulled out in front of the runners. To begin with we thought she'd hit someone," he said.

"It just left me speechless, after the recent attacks on people using cars, you just worried as soon as you heard a bang and a car in the middle of a half marathon race."

GB sprint hurdler David King expressed his frustration on social media, describing it as "disgusting".

Mr Pollard, MP for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport, added he was "glad no one was hurt".

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Ms Empson said other cars did approach the race route but no one else drove into the path of the runners.