Events at Sutton Park, Birkenhead Park and Milton Keynes will no longer take place due to coronavirus outbreak

Organisers have made the decision to cancel the England area road relay championships due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Midland event had been due to take place at Sutton Park in Birmingham on Saturday March 21, while the Northern and Southern races had been set for Birkenhead Park in Merseyside and Milton Keynes respectively on Sunday March 22.

“Following discussions over the weekend that were followed by further consultation between the area associations this morning it has been agreed that in advance of a government directive to ban all sporting fixtures or sporting fixtures above a certain size, the Area Road Relay Championships due to be held on Sunday 22nd March 2020 will be cancelled,” read a statement released by South of England Athletic Association competition chairman John Gandee.

“The fixture calendar is so congested that once fixtures are allowed to recommence it will probably be too late to reschedule these races.

“All three associations hope that the coronavirus pandemic will be under control to allow the autumn area and National road relays to be held as currently planned.”

Confirmation that the Midland, Northern and Southern road relay championships, due to be held on Sunday March 22, will be cancelled. "The fixture calendar is so congested that once fixtures are allowed to recommence it will probably be too late to reschedule these races." 1/2 pic.twitter.com/FZGcGdcnU7

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) March 16, 2020

Last year’s 12 and 6-stage road relay championships action saw Bristol & West’s men and Birchfield Harriers’ women retain their Midland titles, while Leeds City won the men’s event and Rotherham Harriers the women’s at the Northern event.

Southern winners were Aldershot, Farnham & District’s men and Herne Hill’s women.