A major summer sporting event on Loch Lomond, the Great Scottish Swim, will not go ahead this year.

Organisers have pulled the plug on the August event which last year attracted 2,700 swimmers, who brought a big economic boost for Balloch and the lochside area.

The Great Scottish Swim said on its Facebook page that the event will not be staged this year, and added: "The event has enjoyed great support from our partners and swimmers but sadly it is no longer viable in its current format.

"The number of participants has been steadily increasing over the years but the event is still not at a level that makes it sustainable for us in the long term.

"We understand that's disappointing news.

"Should a similar event be created at Loch Lomond we will happily share details with our swimmer through our channels.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank our partners, Event Scotland, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park and West Dunbartonshire Council for their support, as well as all the swimmers, volunteers, spectators and local community who made the event so memorable."

READ MORE: 2018's Great Scottish Swim brings crowds to Loch Lomond

World class elite swimmers were among those who took on the challenge every year, set within the iconic loch location.

Swimmers of all ages and abilities took on a variety of distances, ranging from the beginner’s half-mile, all the way up to the gruelling marathon 10K swim in what was Scotland’s biggest open water event.

The cancellation is seen as not just a disappointment to swimmers and spectators but also to the partner organisations who were delighted that the swim put an international spotlight on Loch Lomond.

READ MORE: Swimmers make a splash at Loch Lomond challenge

An EventScotland spokesperson said: “We have been a proud supporter of the Great Scottish Swim for a number of years and are saddened by the news the organiser’s will no longer be able to stage this event.

"We understand this has been a hard decision for the Great Run Company and we’d like thank them for their work over the years in delivering this event.

“We will continue to work with Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park and West Dunbartonshire Council to explore other options for a similar event in the area.”