Organisers of the Sheffield Half Marathon plans to use a fund earmarked for charities to refund runners after cancelling the event at the last minute.

The Sheffield Half Marathon, which took place in April, was cancelled as runners waited at the starting line when enough water did not arrive on the day as planned. Some 4,100 runners flouted the organisers and ran the race anyway.

At the time, the organisers said no refund would be available to runners. But this week it announced in a statement on its website that runners will be able to get a refund as a “goodwill gesture”, but this will come from its fund for charities.

Apart from the cost of the marathon itself, all money raised through entry fees and sponsorship is paid to ten annually nominated charities. In 2012 the charity total was £175,000.

Announcing how runners can apply for a refund, Robert Jackson, chairman of Sheffield Marathon Ltd, said: “This will of course mean that this money will not be available to give to our charities. However, if you would like to take up the offer of a refund of your entry fee, an application in writing should be sent.”

Race participant Richard Hayes told BBC News he was "shocked" by the announcement.

"They say you can have a refund but make you feel guilty due to taking it out of the charity fund," he said.

"Most people when they read that, are not going to ask for a refund."

The race has been running annually for 33 years. Sheffield Marathon Ltd said it was "reviewing options" for the event in 2015.

Its ten nominated charities are: The Children's Hospital Charity, Breast Cancer Care, St Luke's Hospice, Sheffield Academy of Young Leaders, South Yorkshire MS Therapy Centre, SAFE@LAST, Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice, Sheffield Wildlife Trust, Support Dogs and Myasthenia Gravis Association.