VOLUNTEERS are needed to help bring a popular weekly sporting event to the South Lakes.

Parkrun is a series of five kilometre timed runs which are staged every Saturday morning at 9am in public parks around the world.

They are held in more than 240 locations across the UK.

Now a group of local runners is hoping that a regular Parkrun can be staged at Fell Foot Park, near Newby Bridge, at the south of Windermere.

The events attract beginners, fun runners and top class athletes, and are organised entirely by volunteers.

There are no entry fees. Runners register online and receive a barcode which they must print and carry. At the end of the run, the barcode, and the runner’s finishing number, are keyed into a computer to produce detailed results in a short time.

“These events take place in pleasant parkland surroundings and we encourage people of every ability to take part; from those taking their first steps in running to Olympians; from juniors to those with more experience; we welcome you all,” say the Parkrun UK hosts.

Anyone interested in helping to organise a local event is invited to meet at Fell Foot on Saturday March 8 at 9am. Victoria Dodd of the National Trust’s Lakes Outdoors said that the park had the potential for a good five kilometre route.

Vicki Grant, from Kendal, and Eileen Jones, from Ambleside, who have called the meeting, said that they were hoping to see non-runners, former runners and injured runners turning up to offer their help.

“There are lots of runners locally who want this to happen, but we also need the people who are willing to give up their time to make it happen,” they said.