AN Olympian is set to lead the charge on Saturday to encourage more people to take part in a regular Burnley fun run.

Up to 100 runners take part each weekend in the Park Run, over five kilometres, through Towneley Park.

But this Saturday middle-distance ace Helen Clitheroe, a European Indoor 3,000 metres gold medallist, who also took part in the Beijing Olympics and earned bronze at 1,500 metres at Manchester’s Commonwealth Games, will be on hand.

The Preston runner will be coming to Burnley as part of her role as ambassador for Run England, a national athletics project.

Karen Holland, volunteer co-ordinator for the Burnley run, said: “It’s great that Helen can come down and encourage not only the runners but also the volunteers that lead running groups.

“We hope Helen’s involvement will help us get our biggest turn out yet on a Saturday morning.”

If people are interested in taking part in the run they need to go online to www.parkrun.co.uk and obtain a bar code.