Sir,

I have just been watching The Great North Run from Newcastle, an event which has grown over the years and now warrants a Sunday morning programme on BBC devoted to it.

Roads were closed from the previous evening, but it is now an accepted fact and I wonder how many locals complain about it, obviously not enough to change things! The public, church services etc have learned to gear themselves around it.

Working in the tourism industry and also having owned a business in Pembroke, I can see the benefits such an event - like Ironman Wales - brings to the area.

If shop proprietors choose to keep their businesses closed and not take part in the proceedings, I can see no reason for their complaints.

Many charities benefited from grouping together as marshalls for the subsequent financial reward and anyone could have applied as a marshall, there were enough advertisements in the local papers for them.

Resurfacing roads I can only see as a positive as these will last longer than the one-day event and most of the expenditure was covered by the entrance fee of the competitors.

This was the first year of this event and personally I think it was extremely well organised. Obviously there are lessons to be learned before the next one, but everyone had a chance to attend a public meeting to air their views.

I attended the one in Pembroke Town Hall and could count on one hand the amount of local people present, so those of you who have complained about the event, make an effort to go to the next meetings to put forward your concerns.

Well done to the team - I look forward to next year.

Sheila Ralph,

Pembroke.