Great North Run organisers have been criticised by charity bosses because of the soaring cost of taking part.

Charities have to buy one of four different packages to guarantee them a number of places in the race, ranging from 25 to 300.

Prices for next year's packages, which include benefits such as a hospitality tent, listings on the event's website and advertisements in its magazine, have risen by 50 per cent.

Barbara Gubbins, of the Tyneside-based Children's Foundation charity, said: "We had a level-two package last year, which guarantees up to 150 entries.

"Last year, it cost £5,000 and this year it's gone up to £7,500. On top of that you have to pay for the tickets, which have also jumped up in price from £28 to £34."

A spokesman for Nova International, which organises the race, defended the prices.

He said: "The packages for next year include an increased number of benefits, for example a swap system, which allows charities to change the names of runners they have entered up to the last minute."

Several smaller charities say the costs involved will mean entering fewer runners than they would like or increasing the minimum amount of sponsorship they ask supporters to raise.

Ray Laidler, of the Teesside-based Butterwick Hospice, said: "We had the lowest-level package this year - 25 entries - and were toying with the idea of moving up, but a 50 per cent rise in cost is quite steep and doesn't make things easier for smaller organisations such as us. It puts greater onus on our runners to raise more through sponsorship."