THE hard facts behind why Southampton will not this week be hosting a Sport Relief Mile find rain song event in the city are proving hard to pin down.

If organising the event, which has taken place in the city in previous years, was difficult to organise this spring, determining quite why the run was scrapped for 2016 has been just as difficult.

As this paper reports today, we were given a variety of explanations by various bodies, some of whom contradicted each other and then appear to change their minds.

In the end whether the event is not taking place because of council cut backs, lack of input from other bodies, or just the fact it fell between the cracks, it is a great pity that something that had proved so popular and indeed a good fund raising and fun event will not be staged in the city.

However, Southampton, is staging swimming events as part of the Sports Relief family which is to be welcomed, even if it does make the fact the run is not taking place just that little bit more difficult to understand.

The events take place every two years. Perhaps the authority’ events team should start to consider who to organise the Mile for 2018 before too long.