Druridge Family Fun Day & Triathlon Washed Out
Northumberland Sport’s Get Active Fun Day and Triathlon Festival which were due to take place at Druridge Bay Country Park this weekend (13th and 14th September) have been cancelled.
The events are the latest casualties of the weather after last weekends unprecedented rainfalls flooded Ladyburn Lake in the park making it unsafe for the water sports that had been planned. The field on which sporting activities were due to take place has also been waterlogged.
Doug Lowery, Executive Director of Northumberland Sport said that he was bitterly disappointed about the cancellation but felt there was no other option:
“We’ve spent many months planning and preparing for the event which has been marketed widely. We’d hoped for big crowds and of course a nice sunny day, but as we have all learnt this week - you really can’t predict the British weather!
“I’ve just been up to Druridge; the lake is full of dirty flood water and silt and the field is like walking across a wet sponge and will not dry out in time for the weekend. We are now eager to get the message out to anyone who had planned to come along and let them know that although the park will still be open, regrettably our Get Active event has been cancelled.”
The Northumberland Triathlon Festival which has attracted a record entry of almost 400 competitors – both junior and adult - from across the country and was also due to take place in the park this weekend, has been cancelled for the same reasons. Although alternative arrangements for a sea swim were assessed, advice from water safety authorities is that the weather forecast suggests this would not be safe alongside debris from rivers which is washing up on the coast.
