Improvement work brings halt to Race For Life event at Wigan borough park

Cancer Research UK usually holds a Race For Life event at Pennington Flash in Leigh, which sees hundreds of people walk or run 5km and raise money for the charity.

But it will not be able to go ahead this year as Wigan Council will be carrying out improvement work there.

Work is due to begin this month on a £2.4m project which will include a visitor information centre and cafe, new car parking, footpath improvements, lighting and a new natural play area.

The cancellation of Race For Life will be disappointing for some, as it was a popular annual event which drew participants of all ages.

But Cancer Research UK will still be holding Race For Life events at a host of other venues, including Haigh Woodland Park and Haydock Park Racecourse, so there are other opportunities for supporters to get involved.

A Cancer Research UK spokesperson said: “Unfortunately we can’t host Race for Life at Pennington Flash this year as groundworks are planned at the site in spring.

“But we hope to return to Leigh in 2023.

“We will be hosting 3k and 5k Race for Life events at Haigh Hall in Wigan on May 18.”

Race For Life is a series of 3k, 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy and Pretty Muddy Kids events which raise millions of pounds every year to help beat cancer by funding research into 200 types of the disease, including bowel cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, testicular cancer, brain cancer, children’s cancers and leukaemia.  

Events had to be cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, but returned in 2021 with measures such as social distancing, providing a much-needed boost for the charity.

Men, women and children can take part, with many participants choosing to sign up in memory of a loved one affected by cancer.

Race For Life will be held at Haigh Woodland Park on Wednesday, May 18, with a new 3km event alongside the usual 5k.

There will be 3k, 5k and 10k events at Haydock Park Racecourse on Sunday, July 10.

To register or find out more, go to raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org.

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