MORE than 3,500 runners will be taking to the streets again for the tenth Colchester Half Marathon.

The milestone race will be held on Sunday, March 29.

Organisers hope to raise more than £60,000 for charity.

Amongst those involved are the chosen charity partners for the year.

Colchester-based brain injury charity Headway Essex will receive 75 per cent of the proceeds and the Robin Cancer Trust will receive 25 per cent.

Headway Essex was established in 1985 and has grown from a small support group in Colchester to an Essex-wide charity.

It supports about 200 people in Colchester every year and more than 500 across Essex providing support groups and activities to assist rehabilitation to overcome the many health and social issues their clients face.

Tracy Wellsted, fundraising manager at Headway Essex, said: “We are over the moon to be charity partners for this amazing event for the second year.

“Last year’s event was amazing and it was great to see the community coming together to take part in the town’s largest annual sporting event and supporting charities at the same time.”

The Robin Cancer Trust is the UK’s only germ cell cancer charity, based in Colchester and founded after the death of Robin Freeman, aged just 24.

The charity’s mission is to raise awareness of this rare form of cancer and since 2012, the trust has reached more than 12 million people online though their award-winning cancer awareness campaigns.

Toby Freeman, Robin’s brother and founder of the trust, said: “We’re so proud to be a charity partner for this year’s Colchester Half Marathon.

“It’s an incredible event that brings the community together every year - all in the name of charity.

“We hope to reach all the runners and supporters on the day with our cancer awareness information as we want to give back to the community that has supported us.”

The race will start and finish at the Jobserve Community Stadium and the headline sponsor is Griffin Chapman Chartered Accountants.

The half marathon is organised by Colchester Colne Round Table. Runners can apply at colchesterhalfmarathon.co.uk.