RUNNERS in Chalgrove are preparing for a new 10K run which will form part of the village’s annual May Day festival.

Billed as ‘the real race for Number 10’, the Chalgrove Festival 10K will take place three days before the General Election on Bank Holiday Monday, May 3 at 1.30pm.

Race administrator Chris Leftley said: “This is a new part of the festival.

“We’ve been batting around the idea of staging a race for months because we thought it would be good if the village had its own race.

“We have already signed up 100 runners.”

He said between a third and half of runners were likely to come from the village, with other amateur athletes descending on the event from around the county.

Mr Leftley added: "My spies report there is a definite increase in the number of runners going round Chalgrove in the last few weeks.

“Now that Easter is behind us, it is a good way to work off all that chocolate.”

The course consists of a single lap race through picturesque local villages including Roke and Berrick Salome and the surrounding South Oxfordshire countryside.

It starts and finishes at the Chalgrove Village Festival Ground. The course has been officially measured and certified under UK Athletics guidelines, and is a fully licensed road race.

All finishers will receive a free T-shirt and goodie bag. The race is open to anyone aged over 16 on the day of the race.

Among confirmed runners are Mick n’ Phil the Marathon Lads from Stratford-on-Avon, who have become famous for their long distance running feats. Dad Mick Curry will push his disabled son Phil Curry, who has cerebral palsy, around the course in a wheelchair.

The race is part of the village’s May Day Festival, which attracts more than 3,000 visitors.

This year, it will be headlined by rock and soul band The Blue Meanies, from Banbury.

There will also be morris dancing by children from Chalgrove Primary School, a pit stop challenge to test who can change a wheel the fastest, steam engines, classic cars, go karts, helicopter rides and fairground rides.

  • For details on how to enter the race, visit chalgrovefestival10k.com