Organisers of the Great North 10k on Sunday morning have been forced to change the route following a major fire in Newcastle city centre.

The northbound carriageway of the Central Motorway remains closed following the blaze at Carliol Square on Wednesday.

It is not expected to reopen until next week as the structural integrity of the building has been severely affected.

Read more: Road closure at Kinninvie crossroads could be permanent

Newcastle City Council has been working with organisers to ensure the run can still take place.

A spokesman said: “We understand that the closure of the Northbound section of the Central Motorway is causing delays for commuters in and out of the city, however our priority is public safety and the road needs to remain closed until we are confident the site poses no risk to the public.

“Our thanks go to Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue for their swift response to deal with the fire on Wednesday evening and also to Northumbria Police for their support in managing the site and the surrounding area.

“We are working closely with both the police and the building owner to secure the structure of the building in order for the road to be fully opened as soon as possible.

"This re-opening is not likely to be possible before the Great North Run 10k and we have worked with the event team to slightly re-route the run to ensure it can still take place.

“We would like to thank the public for their continued understanding. We are all working as quickly as possible to make the area safe to allow for the road to be re-opened.”

After running through the southbound tunnel under 55 Degrees North runners will cross the Tyne Bridge on the Northbound carriageway, they will turn anti-clockwise and cross back over on the Southbound Carriageway, taking the slip road on to Manors roundabout before re-joining the original planned route on Market Street.

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Event manager Anna Thompson said: “As a result of the continued road closure, we are announcing a small change to the event route, however it will remain a 10km distance.

"We would like to thank the emergency services and Newcastle City Council for their support in ensuring the event can go ahead as planned.”

The event, sponsored by AJ Bell, will remain a 10km distance and involves 4,500 people running past the landmarks of Grey’s Monument, Old Eldon Square, and the Civic Centre, before crossing the finish line on the Town Moor.

It is being staged in partnership with the Newcastle United Foundation and former Newcastle United Goalkeeper and Foundation Trustee, Steve Harper, will have the honour of firing the starting gun.

Many of those running will be supporting good causes and those supporting the Foundation will be recognised with a special black and white striped run number.

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Runners will be treated to an array of on course entertainment, including; live bands, motivational playlists, and even an interactive karaoke zone.

Brendan Foster, founder of the Great Run Company, said: “The all-new AJ Bell Great North 10K offers a fantastic opportunity for runners to interact with the city in a new way

“We hope the city will be out to support the runners, so if you’re out and about shopping on Sunday morning, make sure you go and give them a cheer.”