The organiser of a Lake District endurance race hit by treacherous weather conditions has denied ignoring police advice to call off the event.
Hundreds of Original Mountain Marathon (OMM) competitors were forced to take refuge in barns and other shelters after a month's rain fell in one day.
Police said they were "disappointed" the race was started on Saturday despite earlier severe warnings.
But organiser Mike Parsons said advice to postpone the race was never issued.
The OMM was abandoned at about 1200 BST on Saturday after being hit by some of the worst weather in its 41-year history.
A major rescue effort, involving police, mountain rescue teams and the RAF, was mounted and all 2,500 participants of the two-day race were found safe.
"Everybody is just relieved we did not have any serious injuries"
More than 700 sheltered from the rain and high winds in farms, former mines and a school overnight.
Thirteen competitors, suffering a range of problems from hypothermia to head injuries, were treated by Cumbrian hospitals.
Cumbria Police Supt Gary Slater told the BBC the force's advice was that the event should have been cancelled.
But Mr Parsons claimed the police had not asked organisers to call off the race.
He said: "The police advised us of the flood and the flood warning.
"The police commander did say other experts had advised us to call it off, they did not.
"Mountain rescue people themselves were competing in the event, which is why they were on the scene rather quickly."
Mr Parsons added the severity of the situation had been blown out of proportion and blamed a "media circus".
Supt Slater said: "We were disappointed that the event went ahead despite the advice of ourselves and the mountain rescue teams.
"Up until Thursday and Friday, police and mountain rescue advised that with the atrocious weather and the fact that the terrain is poor at the best of times, the event really should not go ahead.
"Everybody is just relieved we did not have any serious injuries."
^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~36~RS~)