Race for Life will be bigger than ever in the Bradford district this year with two new races added to the list of events.

At Race for Life, women of all ages and levels of fitness join together to walk, jog or run 5k to raise money for Cancer Research UK’s life-saving research.

Now the rallying cry has gone out for women to join the girls at one of the 16 Race for Life venues throughout Yorkshire.

Bradford’s Race for Life in Lister Park will be a full weekend of fundraising with a race taking place for the first time on Saturday, June 11, at 2pm, as well as the usual two events on Sunday, June 12, at 10.30am and 2pm.

Event organisers hope to attract 7,500 women over the full weekend to help raise more than £450,000.

For the first time a Race for Life event will also take place at Riverside Gardens in Ilkley, on Sunday, May 29, at 10.30am. Organisers have a target of 1,800 women and hope to raise around £125,000.

Skipton Race for Life takes place at Broughton Hall a week before that on Sunday, May 22, at 10.30am and it is hoped 2,500 women will raise around £135,000.

Area event manager Jenny Key said: “Every year we want to make Race for Life bigger. We are always looking at where participants come from to attend our events and we’re delighted this year to be bringing a Race for Life to Ilkley.

“We’ve had great support from Bradford Council welcoming the event to Ilkley and also expanding the Bradford event giving ladies the opportunity to take part on Saturday if they have never been able to make a Sunday before.”

Cancer Research UK spokesman Nicki Embleton said: “We know from experience that word of mouth is the best way to spread the message about Race for Life and get friends and family involved.

“So we are asking women across Yorkshire to turn their favourite pastime of chatting to each other into a mission to make entering Race for Life the main talking point at home, in the office and at the school gate.

“By entering their local event now, planning, fundraising and then relishing the sense of achievement on the big day, local women will have plenty to talk about for months to come.”

Women can enter Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life online at raceforlife.org or by calling 0871 641 1111.