THE organisers of this year's Black Country Road Run have come under fire after residents were banned from driving in or out of their streets - and the carers of a 92-year-old dementia sufferer were turned away.

Klare Totney's 92-year-old grandad, of Glendale Close, was left lying in bed until 11.20am after his two carers, who were trying to get to him for a 9.30am call were denied access through Cobham Road.

A string of people vented their frustration on social media saying they had been told by marshals they could not drive into or out of Cobham Road, which leads to a number of roads on the Tenterfields estate.

One person said Tenter Drive also had a car parked across it, blocking access.

The popular 10k Black Country Road Run through Halesowen, held yesterday (Sunday September 12) is now in its 10th year and raises thousands of pounds for charity.

Race organisers Halesowen and Rowley Regis Rotary Club said road closures were managed by Dudley Council employees.

Klare, aged 34, said: "My grandad's two carers were denied access into Cobham Road.

"They had to call another person from their company to come and talk to the marshal who eventually agreed to let them through at 11.20am, so he was left lying in bed until then.

"He is 92 and has dementia. Not only that but the marshals actions would have delayed all their calls after my grandads."

Retired police sergeant Roy Williams said a male marshal had parked a van across Whitehall Drive and a woman marshal had parked a white car across Cobham Road and were refusing people access.

The 75-year-old, who has written a letter of complaint to Dudley Council, had been to Our Lady and Saint Kenelm Church on Siviter Street.

He said: "I was astounded. Every year before when there's no runners they let you through.

"I told the man it was illegal to block a road with a vehicle unless in extreme emergencies like protecting someone who has been run over.

"There were several other people including a lady with leg cancer who was trying to get through.

"We all said how disgusting it was, but his resolve remained defiant. It was 11am and he said we would have to wait till 1pm.

"I said I was going to call the police and he said "do it" and then said "may God forgive you" which took me back.

"I said he has because I have just been to communion!

"Eventually the lady saw sense and moved her car from Cobham Road and started to remove the barriers - and in all that time I didn't see one runner."

Deputy leader of Dudley Council, councillor David Vickers, who lives on Cobham Road, said he left the street at 9am to go to church and during the service was "shocked" to be called by a concerned member of the public saying that their mother was not being allowed back into the road. He said: "Someone obviously got it wrong this year.

"It's always the case that people are allowed back into roads as soon as the runners clear. Obviously you have to be careful that there's not hundreds of runners, but as soon as it clears you let them through.

"I will speak to the organisers and council highways officers to ensure this doesn't happen again.

"I can only apologise to my neighbours who were inconvenienced."

Alan Bowler, of Halesowen and Rowley Regis Rotary Club, said the road management system is operated by council officers.

He said: "We pay for Dudley Council to manage the road closures, our marshals are simply there to direct runners and to ensure there are no problems.

"We put on this event each year to raise money for worthy causes.

"We are sorry this occurred and will discuss it with the team at Dudley Council and at our debriefing meeting to find out what the problems were and to ensure it never happens again.

"If the marshal concerned had a vehicle it was not one of our guys."

Dudley Council has been contacted for comment.