WHEN Tesco invited its staff to take part in Sunday’s cancer fundraiser Race for Life, they had ladies queuing in the aisles.

Twenty-nine female workers at the Cowley Retail Park superstore will line up to take part in Sunday’s event at Oxford’s University Parks.

Women, many wearing pink and back plaques remembering lost loved ones, will run, jog or walk 5km to raise cash for Cancer Research UK.

Checkout services manager Karen Taylor said: “Tesco is the main sponsor of Race for Life and we wanted to do all we can to help Cancer Research UK, as it carries out so much groundbreaking work into treating all forms of cancer.

“The ladies from the Cowley store are a mixture of ages and some have done the race for several years.

“Personally, this will be my second Race for Life and while I only walk the course, I am very much looking forward to getting into the spirit of the event and having an emotional but really special day.”

The event was previously held over two days and last year raised £363,555 with 6,342 women taking part.

It is hoped this year’s combined event will attract 9,300 entrants to raise £670,000.

Also taking part will be Didcot Girls’ School business teacher Nikki Woods, who lost her mum to lung cancer within little over a month after diagnosis in December.

Miss Woods, 29, who moved to the school from Merseyside four years ago, said she felt isolated at first, but staff and pupils rallied round to take part in Race for Life.

The DGS Divas hope at least 40 runners will raise more than £1,000 She said: “She was the heart of the family and we used to spend hours on the phone – it’s hard without her.Sometimes people seem scared to mention cancer, but what happened has brought it more out in the open.

“We have done a bit of training out on the school field, which has given the girls a few laughs.”

Pupil Hannah Harris, 13, said: “It is very personal to me as my nana died four years ago from breast cancer, and I am running the race for her.”

Amelia Crook, 11, added: “I’ve lost two grandparents to cancer.

“It’s horrible to watch someone you love suffer from this awful disease, so if by taking part I can help in a small way for the doctors to find a cure, or make other people aware of this disease, then that helps me deal with the loss of my grandparents.”

Oxford event manager Becky Ryczowski said: “Race for Life in Oxford has an unforgettable atmosphere.”

Another Race for Life event will take place at Broughton Castle, near Banbury, on Saturday, July 30.

To enter visit raceforlife.org or call 0871 6411111.