DELIGHTED schoolchildren in Wimborne helped to launch the Minithons event of this year's Daily Echo-backed Poole Festival of Running.

Students from all years of St Catherine's Catholic School, on Cutlers Place, got their running shoes and gym clothes on to help promote the fun event taking place on Sunday, June 7 in Poole Park, which supports Poole Hospital Charity.

It features two races, one for young people aged under-15s which is one-and-a-half miles long and another for under-eights which is free to enter on the day.

They were joined by Mike Towner, organiser of the event, Steve Wardman from Poole Runners club and Jayne Hughes of Poole Hospital Charity to urge Dorset's young residents to take part.

Rosie Lennon, head teacher, said: "We're encouraging all of the children to get some exercise and keep fit and hope as many as possible take part in the Poole Festival of Running, to raise money for Poole Hospital Charity."

Mr Towner said that they are particularly encouraging school teams of any number of students to take part, with prizes for the top three schools with the highest number of students involved in the event.

He added: "We also encourage teams from football, rugby and sports clubs as well as family groups.

"The 10k event for the adults is filling up fast and we have people from many local clubs taking part, as well as being open to all individual runners and joggers for their charity."

The Minithons event is sponsored by soft play, cafe and ice rink The Ark at Poole Park for the first year, while the 10k is sponsored by car dealership company, Horizon Honda. Entrants can also register for the Dorset Cancer Centre 5k and all races are time-chipped with finishes receiving a race momento and entries now open.

The Poole Festival of Running supports Poole Hospital Charity each year with money going to to Dorset Cancer Centre, which comprises of two inpatient wards, the Durlston Ward and Sandbanks Ward, as well as a day care unit.

It is the major specialist cancer treatment centre for adults in the county, providing a wide range of treatments including radiotherapy and chemotherapy for both common and rare cancers.

Care and treatment is also provided for children with cancer in partnership with the paediatric oncology centre in Southampton and the children's unit in Poole Hospital.

For more information, go to Poolerunners.com