MORE than 4,000 women will unite to take on cancer as the Race for Life comes to Swindon this weekend.

The event, which has rocketed in popularity in recent years, will see women from across the town and beyond take on a 5k or 10k run with those looking for a bit more adrenaline-fuelled fun tackling the Pretty Muddy’ obstacle course.

All three races will take place at Lydiard Park. On Saturday, the Pretty Muddy runners will head off at fifteen minute intervals from 10am through until 12.30pm.

On Sunday it will be the turn of the 5k and 10k participants, with the 5k getting underway at 11am and the 10k at 2.30pm.

Organisers have described the thousands of women set to descend on the park this weekend as a ‘pink army’ – taking the fight to cancer one step at a time over their respective distances.

All proceeds raised from sponsorships will go to Cancer Research UK, allowing their doctors, nurses and scientists to advance the research studies that are helping to save the lives of tens of thousands of people across the country.

Michelle Leighton, Race for Life event manager for Swindon, said: “Race for Life events are not competitive.

“They are not about being fit or fast. Women can complete the courses at their own pace, enjoying the camaraderie of being part of an army of women coming together in the fight against cancer.”

Last year 4,700 women and girls of all ages took part in the Swindon events, raising £261,800 for life-saving cancer research in the process.

If those taking part can push their fundraising to the £275,000 mark, then Swindon would take its five year total over the £1 million mark.

The 5km and 10km runs are open to women of all ages, in previous years even babies have completed the course strapped to their mothers.

Pretty Muddy is the newest initiative from the Race for Life team which is proving increasingly popular in towns across the UK.

It sees ladies scramble over fences and nets, through tubes and down slides along a 5km course, getting muddy in the process – it is open to ladies and girls over the age of thirteen.

Participants have all paid a one off entry fee and then raised as much money as they can in their own respective ways.

Michelle added: “Every hour, around 3 people are diagnosed with cancer in the South West.

Money raised through Race for Life allows Cancer Research UK’s doctors, nurses and scientists to advance research which is helping to save the lives of men, women and children across the region.

“Cancer survival rates have doubled since the 1970s and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress.”