‘Rip-off’ Taylor Swift-themed running club slammed by fans who forked out £50 to see 2 cardboard cut outs & NO music

last year, Swifties say they were left waiting in the rain for a warm-up performance by a Taylor lookalike who only sang one song.

And when the event finally began, pop fans claimed they couldn’t hear any music - so opted to blast hits from their own phones instead.

Louise Newlands, 35, who ran the course with her friend Helen Martin, described the event as “an absolute shambles”, adding: “I think Taylor Swift would be appalled.”

The studio manager, from Romford in Essex, told The Sun she waited over an hour to collect her bib, before being sent the wrong way round the track by marshals.

Runners, who turned up in sequins and hot pants, were also assured there would be secure storage for their valuables, but claimed their bags were dumped in a huge pile.

And the Taylor Swift goodie bags promised in adverts for the event turned out to be just a banana, apple, and a bottle of water.

Louise added: “It's the kids I feel sorry for - they all looked so cold and wet and miserable.”

Taylor Swift fanatic Gemma Marshall, 38, branded the park run the “Fyre Festival of 5ks” - in reference to a viral fraudulent luxury music festival in the Bahamas in 2017.

The project manager, from Sandhurst, Berks, who was given tickets by her husband Greg for Christmas, said she couldn’t hear the music and didn’t see any pacers.

She said: “Everyone was miserable…It felt like they had exploited a loyal fan base.”

Organisers Run Fanatics insisted the overall feedback to the event was “very positive”, but admitted there were “teething problems” due to it being their first event.

They said a "last-minute supplier issue" meant they were unable to provide a Taylor Swift-themed treat in the goodie bags, but said all participants received a medal.

They have promised to improve future runs by delivering race bibs in advance, reducing participants numbers, finding a venue where music can be played around the course, improving signage, and increasing staff numbers.

They also promised future Swiftie events will feature a full Taylor-inspired set with at least two warm up songs

A spokesperson said: “Overall, the feedback from our event has been overwhelmingly positive, and we’re thrilled that so many runners had a great experience.

"However, we also acknowledge that some aspects could be improved.

"We’ve learned that people’s experiences varied depending on their position in the registration queue and how far back they were from the start line, with some finding it harder to see and hear the lookalike warm-up.

“Run Fanatics is a true passion project for us—a husband and wife duo bringing together our love for running and Taylor Swift!

"We’re committed to making every Swiftie Run an unforgettable experience, and we’re already working on enhancements to ensure future events are even better.

";Thank you to everyone who joined us—we can’t wait to welcome you to the next one!"