Parkruns at Lydiard Park and Seven Fields Nature Reserve have been cancelled in response to the spread of coronavirus.

Event director and co-founder of parkrun at Lydiard Park Emma Sperring said: “It is paramount that we keep all our runners safe and well.

“We are very popular and understand that a lot of people enjoy taking part and will be disappointed by this announcement.”

For International Women’s Day earlier this month 700 people pulled on their running shoes in Swindon across the two sites.

Emma, who helped bring parkrun to Swindon 10 years ago added: “I’ve been doing this a long time, and it’s going to be about adapting to a new lifestyle for a while. It can be difficult if you get used to a routine.

“But also know that it is not going to be forever, parkrun will be back.”

At the moment all events including junior parkrun are cancelled until the end of March, when the situation will be reviewed.

Event director for Seven Fields parkrun Phil Jefferies said: “Obviously we would have liked to keep it going because of the community aspect and the benefits for people’s mental and physical health when they get outside and run with friends.

“But the social distancing measures make it difficult to arrange a parkrun of roughly 400 people who all have to stay two metres apart.”

Emma added: “What we really want to do is discourage people from turning up and doing their own unofficial parkrun as a group anyway.

“That defeats the point of why we’ve cancelled the events.”

She continued: “We want to encourage everyone to keep on exercising if you are able to and if you’re well. But do it in the right way, run independently. Then by all means use social media to comment and encourage each other.”