Yarnton 5 race director Hugh Morris has been forced to apologise after runners in the Oxfordshire five-mile County Championship race were re-routed while the race was taking place.

The event descended into something of a farce after a six-foot metal security gate was locked after the course had been marked up.

It meant a different route was hastily arranged, making the race longer and unmarshalled in places.

The county championship will be contested at the Didcot 5 from 2009.

Morris admitted he had considered stopping the race before that.

He said: "I have to apologise to all concerned regarding the problem.

"The gate was locked by a non-race official, and when the marshals got there, it was too late to remedy.

"When I approached the two-mile point, I was told of the situation by a marshal.

"I took a different route to see if an alternative way back onto the route was possible.

"Unfortunately, it was not, and so faced with the decision to end the race or find an approximate five-mile distance, I opted for the latter.

"The race therefore turned into an out and back route rather than a loop.

"Unfortunately this had a number of implications for the runners.

"The marshals on the second half of the course and the ambulance were now off course and not in a position to relocate.

"This made the return route unclear.

"While I was able to get some marshals into key locations, there was not enough, and I appreciate that some areas were not adequately marshalled.

"I understand this caused confusion, and I apologise."

Oxford City's Steve Male won the race, clocking 27mins 53secs, with Abingdon Amblers' Les Newell second in 28.42.

Chris Riley, running for Bedford & County, finished third in 28.43.

Kidlington's Sophie Dawson was first in the senior women's category, clocking 31.45.

YARNTON 5 OPEN RESULTS (top 20, senior men unless stated) 1 S Male (Oxford C, V40) 27.53, 2 L Newell (Abingdon) 28.42, 3 C Riley (Bedford) 28.43, 4 G Crone (unattached) 28.43, 5 M Summerfield (VOA, V40) 29.03, 6 C Tucker (Cherwell) 29.08, 7 B Green (Oxford C, V40), 8 P Egerton (Abingdon) 29.20, 9 J Bolton (Woodstock H) 29.24, 10 B O'Conner (Woodstock H) 29.37, 11 A Burgess (Oxford C) 29.38, 12 D Tame (Hook Norton) 30.31, 13 D Pebody (Cherwell) 30.33, 14 S Hands (Headington RR, V40) 30.33, 15 M Durbin (Team Bath) 30.35, 16 E Mezzetti (Oxford C) 30.36, 17 S Pritchard (Banbury H) 30.38, 18 L Hurman (Headington RR, V40) 30.39, 19 J Giansiracusa (Kidlington) 30.47, 20 G Petts (Witney RR) 30.49, 21 L Boden (Witney RR, V40) 30.52, 22 C Gray (Woodstock H, V40) 30.53, 23 K Game (Woodstock H) 30.58, 24 P Huxley (Oxford C, V40) 31.08, 25 N Carter (Kidlington) 31.14, 26 H Price (Woodstock H) 31.17, 27 N Dolton (Witney RR, V40) 31.23, 28 S Convers-Reignier (Abingdon) 31.27, 29 M Dunmore (Headington RR) 31.32, 30 S Dawson (Kidlington, 1st SL) 31.45.

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP (top three) Men: 1 S Male (Oxford C), 2 C Tucker (Cherwell), 3 P Egerton (Abingdon).

Women: 1 S Dawson (Kidlington), 2 A Hopkins (Headington RR, LV35) 35.14, 3 U Schulz (unattached, LV35) 34.18.