GET your running shoes on and get back in training - the Blackpool Marathon is back.

The marathon hasn't been run since its previous organiser died ten years ago but thanks to the social committee of Smurfit Paper and Board Mills of Burnley the renowned race has been resurrected.

Promotions coordinator at Smurfit, Valerie O'Reilly, said: "We decided to resurrect the event because we have a lot of runners here who wanted to run the London Marathon but couldn't get entry forms so we decided to look a bit closer to home. We wanted somewhere that people instantly recognised - The Burnley Marathon just didn't sound right - so we got in touch with Ron McAndrew, a marathon organiser, who suggested Blackpool.

"It's going to be a fabulous occasion but to be honest it's quite nerve-wracking to think that such a small club has organised such a large event. I just hope it all goes well.

"The race has been organised for two main reasons - to raise as much money for our Millennium charities, Fight Against Drugs and Christie Against Cancer, and to give Blackpool its marathon back."

The race, open to over 18s, will start at 9am on August 8 at The Stakis Hotel, North Promenade. Runners then proceed along the Golden Mile, along the Wyre coastal path to Fleetwood and back.

All finishers will receive a commemorative medal and T-shirt, both designed by nine-year-old Sean Moffitt in the Smurfit Burnley painting competition.

And if that's not enough to get you training, there will be a special prize of a free two-week holiday to Barbados for the top fund raiser.

Entry is £13, £12 for club runners, but you'll have to be quick as places are limited this year to 1,500.

So send a SAE to Blackpool Marathon Office, 2 Rowancroft, Clayton le Woods, Chorley, PR6 7UX for your entry/sponsor forms.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.