THOUSANDS of women will run for charity in Malvern this summer when the Three Counties Showground hosts the Race for Life.

Both the race and a visit from the world-famous Moscow State Circus are major new events for the showground this year.

The first ever Malvern Race for Life comes to the Three Counties on Wednesday, May 31.

An all-female event, the race raises money for the fight against cancer and has been organised by Cancer Research UK for the past 11 years in venues across the country

Until now, the nearest to Malvern was at Worcester, where 5,000 women ran, jogged or walked five kilometres in 2005's event, raising £320,000.

Now there are 3,000 places available in the Malvern event, and the website for women to register is going live on Monday, January 16.

Derek Weeks, of Cancer Research UK, said: "It's a beautiful area and the Worcester event has been so popular, that there have been a lot of calls for an event in Malvern."

The booking of the Moscow State Circus is another coup for the Three Counties Agricultural Society.

The circus has just applied to Malvern Hills District Council for a public entertainment licence for the visit on April 4-9.

As the circus is facing an uncertain future since the fall of communism, there are fears this could be its last ever tour.

Nick Vincent, the agricultural society's chief executive, who has been in the post for a year, said the past 12 months have been good for the society.

Some £ million has been invested in roads and other improvements to the showground and more is to be spent this year.

"We were blessed with very good weather for the majority of the shows this year," said Mr Vincent.

He said other highlights for 2006 include the National Sheep Event in August and the extension of the Spring Gardening Show from three to four days.