The London Marathon has been postponed this year to Oct 4 due to the coronavirus pandemic

The London Marathon has been postponed to Oct 4 today as the coronavirus chaos escalates, sources say.

It comes after cases in the UK climbed to 798 this afternoon as the deadly bug continues to infect the nation.

Sources close to the London Marathon told The Sun the event was due to be called off this afternoon.

The expected confirmation will be a blow to athletes who have been training hard to hit the capital's streets next month.

It had already been feared the annual event, which draws in runners and spectators from all over the globe, would be affected as the outbreak worsened.

The 40th London Marathon was due to take place on April 26, with Health Secretary Matt Hancock already warning last week it could be restricted or cancelled.

Earlier today the Premier League also bowed to pressure and announced they are suspending the season for three weeks amid the coronavirus outbreak.

It comes with the football world in crisis as Uefa also announced ALL Champions League and Europa League matches scheduled for next week have been postponed.

Cities and towns across Britain appeared deserted at times today as people worked from home and avoided shops and transport links over concerns about the virus.

posted Friday March 13th
by Ellie Cambridge