Great North Run participants walk home after flash flooding

Runners who took part in the Great North Run said they had to walk home after torrential downpours caused major disruption to public transport.

Flash flooding hit roads and the Tyne and Wear Metro as the 42nd race came to an end on Sunday afternoon.

Thousands of participants and spectators were caught in large queues in South Shields while services were suspended.

Metro operator Nexus said it had worked with authorities to restore services.

Heavy rain meant the South Shields bus and Metro interchange became flooded inside, prompting lifts and escalators to break down.

Rail services were stopped between Bede and South Shields for more than an hour after flooding on the line at Tyne Dock.

The Metro station in South Shields then had to temporarily close while water was cleared from the tracks, reportedly causing queues of more than a mile.

On social media, many runners said they had been unable to complete their journey home, with one person saying they had to walk seven miles to their car.

Resident Paul Dix said "thousands" walked past his home near Tyne Dock as they attempted to find alternative forms of transport.

He said he and several neighbours on Thornton Avenue spent about an hour and a half "directing them around past the flood", adding the stream of people was "just continuous".

"Cars were also tailed right back into the town and were moving very, very slowly," he added.

However by about 20:30 BST, Nexus said all services had been restored, but with some knock-on delays.

By Monday morning, the service was back to normal.

It came as a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms and heavy rain for the region had been issued by the Met Office.

Nexus praised customers and thanked them for their patience as staff, volunteers and authorities worked to restore services.

Customer services director Huw Lewis told BBC Radio Newcastle that it planned for "lots of things" for the Great North Run, including having extra teams on standby, but "we could not have imagined this".

"My heart goes out to the runners and I can only say sorry for the delay, my heart goes out to the people left waiting but we did everything possible, and we did get everybody home," he said.

South Tyneside Council said Tyne Dock was one of the borough's "lowest points" and had been one of the worst-affected areas from flooding.

A spokesperson said roads had been closed and traffic was diverted, while wagons were deployed to help clear the water.

It said by 18:30 BST, all flooded areas had been cleared and affected roads were fully-reopened.

The race marked Mo Farah's final outing as a professional athlete, finishing in fourth place, while thousands took part to raise funds for their chosen charities.

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