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The organisers of the Greater Manchester Marathon have apologised after thousands of exhausted runners were forced to queue for hours to collect their bags.

More than 15,000 people completed the gruelling 26.2 mile race through the streets of Trafford on Sunday morning.

However their joy at having completed the mammoth event was tempered with scores queuing for more than two and a half hours to collect left luggage.

The queues to collect items snaked from the baggage area three quarters of the way around the pitch at the Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground, the host for this year’s race village.

And many vented their anger at being left stood without warm clothing, car and house keys, and other important items such as their glasses, purses and wallets all of which were in their bags.

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Xtra Mile Events, organisers of the marathon have apologised and said they dispatched more staff to the baggage area as well as handing out water and foil blankets.

However those caught up in the delays were quick to vent their frustration.

Glen Gandy, 49, from Northenden, said it took him more than an hour and 45 minutes to collect his kit bag.

He said: “It was absolute chaos.

“The queue just seemed to go on for miles.

“And it was only when I got near the front that I got a blanket.

“It’s really not what you need when you’ve just run 26 miles.”

(Image: Joel Goodman)

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Tim Ellwood, 48, from Northampton said: “It’s a complete fiasco.

“I’ve just been running for more than three hours and also have a three hour drive home.

“So the last thing you want is to be stood in the cold for two and a half hours.

“It’s an injury risk as well.

“I don’t think a lot of people will be coming back.”

It is not the first time the event, which costs between £45-£65 to enter, has been plagued by such problems.

In 2012 organisers apologised after more hundreds runners had to find their own bags after they were dumped in a muddy field.

At that time they said they had “instantly put amendments in place” to ensure it didn’t happen again which has heightened the frustration among many regular participants.

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In a statement released last night Xtra Mile said: “Thank you to everyone who joined us at the ASICS Greater Manchester Marathon today, it was a day of sporting greatness, perfect weather, lively entertainment, inspirational stories and fantastic athletics performances.

“We want to apologise hugely to our runners about the length of time it took to collect their bags and to assure everyone that this will be addressed for 2017.

“We did increase the number of staff in the baggage collection area as quickly as we could and we handed out foil blankets, water and food to runners where possible.

“We take full responsibility for correction of the system for the 2017 race and want to say a huge thank you to our runners for their patience today and for the support of the Marathon.