A loose tire flew past Auckland Marathon competitors.

Auckland Marathon last year.
Photo: Auckland Marathon

Runners taking part in the Auckland Marathon this morning had a lucky escape after a wheel flew off a nearby car.

The vehicle was heading south on the Harbor Bridge when the tire blew out.

No one was injured, but the lane was closed while a tow truck was called.

Huge turnout for this year’s event

Thousands of runners marched through the streets on Sunday morning ahead of the Auckland Marathon and related events.

Organizers said 17,000 people attended the event, the highest number in 10 years.

Of these, 3,000 runners took part in the full 42-kilometre marathon, which started at 6am.

This route ran through Devonport, over the Harbor Bridge to St Heliers Bay and back to Victoria Park in the city centre.

A further 14,000 registered runners were signed up for other events including the Half Marathon, 11K Traverse, 5K and Children’s Marathon.

The Auckland Marathon said it was its biggest turnout since 2014, with 62 per cent of participants running the event for the first time.

They hoped to raise $600,000.