Young middle distance runners have been dealt a blow - after learning they will not be able to train on their favourite area of grass in the Great Park any more.

The runners - who belong to Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow Athletic Club - have grown used twice a week to running from their home at Thames Valley Athletics Centre in Pococks Lane, Eton to the Long Walk at Windsor.

They form a small group of 50 within the club and are aged 10 to 18.

But the tramp of young feet on the grassed area of the Long Walk leading away from the castle will soon have to stop say Great Park managers.

A spokesperson for Windsor Great Park said: “Windsor Great Park is used by lots of individual runners, as well as for many sporting and charity events and children’s clubs.

"Unfortunately though, the urban park currently being used by the Athletics Club is not designed for regular training given its ground conditions and poor lighting and therefore we’re continuing to discuss with the club what other options may be available for the next season.”

Chairman of Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow Athletic Club Dave Weston said that the committee would discuss the issue at its next meeting, when a possible way forward could be looked into. He did not want to comment further at this stage.

Shelayna Oskan-Clarke is a British middle-distance runner who is closely connected with the club. Shelayna is currently the British 800m champion and in 2016 she won the women's 800m at the Anniversary Games. She also reached the semi final at the Rio Olympic Games.

She is currently in South Africa training and had not heard about the problem at Windsor.

She said she wished the youthful middle distance group at Windsor and Slough well.

She said: "I never trained on the Long Walk myself - but I did train at Savill Gardens in the Great Park, although I do not know if it would be suitable for them."

The Great Park management team has indicated that other options may be available - although a new site would need it to be fairly close to the old one so it could be practically form the end of a training route that had started at Pococks Lane.

Savill Gardens is based at the other end of the Great Park adjoining Englefield Green and might be too far away.