THE organisers of an annual 10km race, staged to help maintain a community hub, have issued a plea to runners to sign up.

Villagers in Tholthorpe, near Thirsk, have regularly attracted about 250 runners to the event over 19 years, but organisers fear this year's entries could be hit after the Great North Run was moved forward to the same date on September 7.

The 10k race is part of the North Yorkshire Championships and runners have traditionally used it as their last training run before the Tyneside half-marathon.

Stuart Morley, race assistant, said they could not rearrange the Tholthorpe 10k date as it was already set in race calendars.

He said: "The race is the only large fundraiser in the village, which depends on over 70 villagers and friends to help on the day.

"We're only 300 strong in the village, so you can see how much of an effort it is."

To sign up visit www.tholthorpe10k.co.uk