THE inaugural Purbeck Marathon, that took place around the stunning Jurassic Coast last September, has been rated third best marathon in the UK.

Respected specialist running magazine, Runners' World, placed it in the top three, even ahead of the world famous London marathon.

The review noted the demands of the course, which was predominantly off-road and included climbs of nearly 3,000ft, the scenery and the locally-themed goody bags as reasons for its success.

Race director Rose Clarke said: “This is important recognition of the hard work over many months that went into organising the first Purbeck Marathon.

“It also reflects on the many volunteers who helped on race day, many of them spending long periods in remote locations to ensure that no-one became lost and that the event passed incident free.”

The race starts and finishes in Swanage, taking in the coastal path, Durlston Country Park, Worth Matravers, Kingston, Kimmeridge Corfe Castle and Tyneham.

Entries are now open for the 2013 event, on September 15. Numbers are limited due to the nature of the terrain. Entry via runnersworld.co.uk or purbeckmarathon.co.uk, where further information is available.