Parkrun is under fire for banning dog harnesses, which organisers claim are a safety risk to runners.

The “bizarre” move has prompted suggestions that organisers believe the harnesses give an unfair advantage to runners who are pulled along by their pets.

Dog harnesses fit around a jogger’s hips and allow their pets to run on a leash in front of them.

But the new rules, which come into force on April 2 this year, prohibit these because they offer “increased risk of serious incidents”.

Instead, dogs will have to be kept on a “short, handheld, non-extendable lead by the side of the participant”, Parkrun told its three million members.

Parkrun accused of compromising its integrity

In a blog post, organisers said: “Our evidence shows that, when participants use waist harnesses, there is an increased risk of serious incidents, particularly trips and falls, compared to when using handheld leads.

“Unfortunately, the nature of parkrunning with a waist harness is such that the lead allows dogs to move from side to side, in front of the participant, which can result in the dog suddenly and unexpectedly crossing in front of other participants on the course.”

But Kevin Ward, 46, a former run director, branded the move as “bizarre”.

He said the company had compromised on its “ethos”, which he believes is linked to “cheating accusations” among participants.

“The rumour mill is that people were being called cheats because they’re running with a dog and getting some assistance,” he said.

“I was one of the run directors for junior Parkrun locally, but they’ve compromised their ethos and integrity with what they have done, as far as I’m concerned.”

Rival ‘Barkrun’ group to start

Mr Ward, who regularly takes his six-year-old dog Wilson on jogs in Kesgrave, Suffolk, has resigned from his post as a director of the junior Parkrun league.

He is now helping to launch a rival “Barkrun” group for people who want to take their hounds on the free weekly 5km runs in public parks.

“There’s a Barkrun group on Facebook that started about three weeks ago, and it’s got 2,600 people on it already,” he said.

“The idea is that it’s an hour before Parkrun, running the same route.

“I could see it becoming a rival, personally, if it comes off and becomes a formal event as opposed to just a social run, and more people start to do it.”

Parkrun has been approached for comment.