Countdown is on as Cancer Research UK's Race for Life returns to Wigan

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life will take place at Haigh Woodland Park at 7pm on Wednesday, May 17, with 3km and 5km events.

They are open to men, women and children of all abilities, with money raised helping scientists to find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.

The annual event usually sees the park transformed into a sea of pink and many runners and walkers choose to pin moving messages to their clothes paying tribute to loved ones who have battled the disease.

This year participants will receive a special medal to mark the 30th anniversary of Race for Life.

Entries to the event are still available at raceforlife.org. It costs £15.99 for adults and £11 for children for the 5k and £14.99 and £10 respectively for the 3k.

People can also sign up on the night, either by taking cash to the registration tent or online by scanning a QR code.

More than £15,000 was raised at last year’s Haigh event and organisers hope to surpass that this time.

Race For Life will also have 3k, 5k and 10k events at Haydock Park Racecourse on Sunday, July 2.

There will not be an event at Pennington Flash in 2023 due to scheduling difficulties, but the charity hopes it can be held in 2024. It did not take place in 2022 either, due to work at the park.