Birmingham will host the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in 2009.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Council have set the date for October 11th.

The announcement further consolidates the Midlands city as a location for major athletics events.

England's second city has hosted the World and European Indoor Championships in recent years - 2003 and 2007 respectively - and the National Indoor arena regularly hosts high-calibre one-day meetings.

The 2009 championships will be the third time the event has come to Britain, after the inaugural edition was held in Gateshead in 1992 and Bristol took its turn in 2001.

EME / Eurosport