ORGANISERS of an annual charity Christmas Fun Run in Worcester have set their sights high for this year's event - hoping to smash the previous sum raised.

Last year, more than 700 people ran the three-and-a-half-mile circuit through the city, dressed as Father Christmas, helping to raise more than £35,000 for Leukaemia Care.

Now the charity's fund-raising manager Louise Carlin said it is pushing to try to double the cash - with more than 1,000 runners expected to take part this year.

The three-and-a-half-mile or five-kilometre run, in its third year, takes place on Sunday, December 4, starting at Worcester City Football Club.

For the first time, a similar race is being held in Evesham on the same day, with about 500 entrants expected to take part.

The Worcester-based charity, helped by Worcester Football Club and Evesham High School, decided to organise the Evesham race to attract more runners from other areas.

Ms Carlin said: "I think the Evesham event is an ideal opportunity for us to expand our name across the county and raise people's awareness of the charity."

She added that entries had been coming in thick and fast since the Worcester News story about the race in last Monday's paper.

The charity has already sent out 15,000 entry forms and has already ordered hundreds more for the Evesham race.

Ms Carlin said: "The whole team here is really enthusiastic and we're really gearing up for the onslaught of application forms. We want the buzz across Worcestershire to be the same as it is in this office, which is phenomenal."

The run is open to people of all abilities; groups, families and individuals - with the only requirement being that entrants have to wear a Father Christmas costume.

Anyone interested can find out more by visiting: www.worcesterxmasfunrun.

co.uk or through links from www.worcestercityfc.co.uk or eveshamhigh.worcs.sch.uk

Leukaemia CARE is a national Charity that provides care and support to patients.

, their families and carers during the difficult journey through the diagnosis and treatment of leukaemia, lymphoma or an allied blood disorder.