ST DAVID'S Hospice Care has apologised to runners for this year's Newport half-marathon being 636 metres too short.

The charity sent an email to all runners who took part in the half-marathon on March 1 after it was revealed yesterday that the course was not the required 13.1 miles.

A St David's Hospice Care spokesperson said: "Following a course re-measurement we deeply regret to have to tell you all that the course you ran was 636m short of a half marathon.

"Everyone of us involved in setting up the event is extremely sorry for the disappointment this will cause. As most of us are runners ourselves, we know how hard you worked and to have your pb's snatched away is the last thing we would want.

They added: "We have delayed releasing any news until we had all the facts, and it is now apparent that when we made slight changes to our original course for 2015, an error was made in the re-measured section. This is very sad for everyone one involved, and we can only hope that on this occasion you can forgive us and continue to support what in many other ways was an extremely rewarding event."

The Association of UK Course Measurers, said the outcome of the course investigation revealed that the course was short by 636.50m and that the error occurred during the measurement process.

The spokesman said there is no clear indication as to where the error occurred, so the only conclusion that can be made is that an error occurred when making an adjustment to the course between the initial measurement and finalising the course pre-event.

The half-marathon raised £75,000 to support the hospice care. The charity said they hope to make the 2016 City of Newport Half Marathon even 'bigger and brighter.'