A half marathon could return to Swindon for the first time in five years, if negotiations between Swindon Borough Council and a sports events company go well.

And runners might want to start their training to be ready to pound the streets of Swindon in September.

Councillor Mike Davies asked council leader Jim Robbins whether there were plans to bring the event back at a meeting of the authority's overview and scrutiny meeting on Monday.

The event was last held in 2019.

Councillor Jim Robbins told the committee: “There have been meetings between the council and a company interested in bringing the half marathon back, and they are working with our highways department.”

Cllr Robbins added: “This is with a view to a September 2024 event. But it is not a done deal.”

If that deal gets done it could secure the future of the race for some time, as Cllr Robbins said: “If the company does want to come to run the event, then they will want a multi-year deal.”

The news will be welcomed by many runners in the town who have not been able to take part in a marathon even since 2019, so it will be at least four years since the last one come September.

And even the last few events were fraught with difficulty.

There was no half marathon in 2020, affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns and social distancing guidelines.

The 2021 event, which was due to have been put on by management company The Race Organiser (TRO) was cancelled just 11 days before the September 19 date. TRO said the pandemic had increased its costs and there had been a significant drop in entries compared to before the pandemic and it could not afford to go ahead with the race.

But even before the pandemic, the race had struggled. TRO had stepped in at the last minute in 2019 to make sure the event went ahead, as the previous organiser had said the costs incurred, including for road closures, made the event unviable.

The company also promised in 2022 race would go ahead, but it never came to pass.

After the meeting, Cllr Davis said: “It’s great that there is the possibility of a Swindon half marathon coming back. Watch this space!”