A POPULAR run with a historic "gunpowder" theme will literally see people exploding out of the starting blocks next month, raising thousands of pounds for good causes.

The annual Crowle Gunpowder Plot 10k and two family fun runs takes place on Sunday, May 11. So far 300 entries have been received for the 10k but organisers are ready to accept large numbers of entries on the day too.

Last year 836 runners entered the runs, which raised over £7,000 for local causes and the organisers are hoping to again raise a significant amount.

A training session for the event and on Thursday, April 17 at 12.45am, at the playing fields behind Crowle Parish Hall.

Ali Mcindoe, event co-organiser with Caroline Brookes, said: “The 10k and fun runs event has something for everyone. Each year we attract elite runners, club runners and fun runners from locally and much further afield and they bring their children too who can take part in the quarter or one mile races and have fun in safety on the village playing field and playground."

The 10k, which will start at 11.30am, will follow the same scenic, rural route as in previous years, starting and finishing on the playing field in Crowle village and following roads (closed to traffic) through Sale Green and nearby Huddington Court, where the gunpowder plot was hatched. It will be run under Athletic Association rules.

There will be two fun runs, which will take place before the 10k, at 10.30am – a quarter mile for young children and their adult helpers and a more serious, timed, one-mile race for under 16s. There will be prizes for all fun run finishers and in each run a trophy for the first three boys and first three girls. Both of the fun runs, will take place on a circuit around the village playing field.

A barbecue (including vegetarian) will be available and cakes and hot and cold drinks. There will also be a range of stalls and a children's entertainment area near the playing field playground.

Online entry is available for the 10k race on Crowle’s website – www.crowle-online.co.uk or an entry form can be downloaded and sent by post. The 10k entry fee for Athletic Association affiliated runners will be £11, unaffiliated runners, £13, with an extra £2 charge for entries on the day. All fun runners have to enter on the day and will be £3 for the quarter mile and £4 for the mile. There will be prizes for many categories of runners.

Registration will be from 9.30am on May 11, for on-the-day entries and for pre-entered 10k runners to collect their race numbers.

The event started in 2002 to raise money to build sports facilities and a playground on Crowle’s playing field. These were completed in 2004, since which time money raised by the event has supported a range of local and village charities – with donations going to Acorns Children’s Hospice, the breast cancer charity, The Lavender Trust, Crowle Scouts, Church, WI and Preschool, as well as to maintain the village’s sports field facilities. Over its 12 years it has raised some £67,000.

Proceeds from the 2014 event will go towards the upkeep of the playing field, football pitches, playground, tennis courts, bowling green, cricket square and practice nets, at Crowle Parish Hall recreation ground, which are used by residents from across the Bowbrook parish and beyond and will also support the work of Crowle’s Preschool, Church, and WI, whose volunteers help to run the event.