Great North Run medals and T-shirts put up for sale on auction site

More than 40,000 people took part in Sunday's race.

Medals and T-shirts from last week's Great North Run have been put up for sale on an auction website '“ with race organisers pleading for the practice to stop.

Some sellers are even throwing in snacks which were included in goody bags handed out after the race, and wristbands which were used on the Metro on race day.

Bids on the items range from £3.20 to £35, with organisers unable to stop runners putting them up for sale.

Former Great North Runner Andy Buddin says he can't understand why people would sell their medals.

One of the packages being sold on eBay features a medal, T-shirt and the entire contents of a goody bag handed out after the race – including a bag of sweets and some spaghetti.

Organisers of the race have told of their disappointment.

A spokesman for the Great North Run said: “It’s very disappointing to hear that hard-earned Great North Run medals and T-shirts are being sold on eBay.

“Unfortunately there isn’t a way for us to stop the sales, but we strongly discourage it.”

Many runners have put their Great North Run medals and T-shirts up for sale.

Among those selling the items are people from places including Jarrow and Houghton.

Debra Fox, social media editor for North East Press, was among those who took part in Sunday’s race.

She said: “After training hard to take part in my first Great North Run, it was a great honour to cross the finish line and receive my finisher’s T-shirt and medal.

“I don’t understand why people would want to part with these mementos, which they’ve worked really hard for. And why would people who haven’t taken part want to buy them?”

This seller included the entire contents of a goody bag - including a bag of sweets and some spaghetti.

Andy Buddin, who has taken part in the race nine times and raised over £5,000 over the years, said: “My medals are all stored safely in my loft and I’d never want to part with them.

“I don’t understand why you would want to sell something that you ran a half marathon to earn.

“Equally, I don’t know what someone would get out of buying one if they haven’t done the race.”

Over 40,000 runners tackled the 13.1mile course from Newcastle to South Shields on Sunday in what was the 37th annual staging of the event.

This seller even threw in their Metro wristband from race day.

The founder of the race, Brendan Foster, was the honorary starter of this year’s event, with the men’s race won by athletics legend Mo Farah for the fourth time in a row, and the women’s won by Kenya’s Mary Keitany.