The boss of an events company, which organised races across the region, has confirmed they cannot afford to give out refunds, as he faces anger from runners.

Toby Redington said Inspire Events went into liquidation this week and confirmed that no-one who had signed up to its now-cancelled events would get their money back.

This Sunday runners were meant to be lining up for the start of a 10km race through Thetford Forest.

Instead, they are asking questions of the company, after saying they had received almost no communication for several weeks about the event and its cancellation.

Inspire Races, which was set up six years ago by Mr Redington and Ian Welch, organised several events in the local running calendar including Thetford Forest races and the Snetterton 10k.

After runners began questioning what was happening to Sunday’s event, Mr Redington said the company behind Inspire, WR Events Limited, was put into liquidation this week.

“We are really gutted that Inspire Racers has gone bust, truly sorry that we have not been able to deliver events or give refunds,” he said.

He added: “The last 18 months have been extremely difficult, trying to hang on in there financially by putting on small events, but unfortunately, we are unable to keep going.

“Despite the best efforts of the remaining team, we received very few entries this year - a problem faced by many event organisers and businesses across the UK.”

He said creditors were asking for repayments and the company could not “generate the revenue needed”.

Mary Gambrill, from Littleport, said she was £109 out of pocket after booking the company’s Forest of Light Run in Thetford Forest for September this year for her and a friend.

They were told by the company earlier this year that it had been cancelled and she asked for a refund, but she has not heard anything since.

“It makes me really cross that we didn’t hear any more,” she said. “I’ve sent numerous emails and their phone line is dead. We didn’t get a single response.”

Susan Pembery, from King's Lynn, also requested a refund from the company for the same event. She has emailed them and messaged them on Facebook but said she had not had any replies.

The 55-year old said: "It was just a communication black hole, that is what makes me most angry."

On the company’s Facebook page many runners have expressed their anger at not getting refunds and the lack of communication from Inspire.

However, others praised the company for the events they had put on over the last six years.

Mr Redington said: “We have emailed everyone who was registered to enter an event directly informing them of the situation including the fact that we can’t deliver the event or refund entry fees.”

He said nobody had entered a race since all were postponed back in September.

He added: “We have always operated with integrity and the utmost hope that things would improve, but unfortunately, our commitment and optimism were not enough.

"I can speak on behalf of everyone who has in anyway been involved with Inspire Races over the past six years, we are all extremely saddened by what has happened and we all feel sorry for anyone who has lost out, our staff and our valued customers.”

He said the racing industry had been one of the worst hit by Covid restrictions.

Accounts filed by the company on Companies House show WR Events had been struggling financially since at least 2019.

It has not filed accounts for last year, but in 2019 it did not have enough assets to cover its debts over the next 12 months.

In 2019 it had debts due over the next year of £45,000 but only had available assets of £21,000 to cover that.

Mr Redington also runs a separate company called Race Time Result which he said was not related to Inspire. However, the companies share a phone number, according to their websites. That business continues to operate and in August this year Mr Redington set up a new company, according to Companies House, called Redwel Ltd.

Race Time Result is meant to be providing chip timing at several races next year.

Andrew Lane, chairman of the athletic Norfolk Road Running Committee, said the collapse of Inspire would have no impact on Norfolk's biggest running series - the Grand Prix - in 2022.