THE organiser of a new running event which was set to come to Oswestry in April, is looking forward to bringing the event to town later this year.

Oswestry's first Zombie Run, which was set to take place at the British Ironwork Centre next month, was recently postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak.

However, organiser Samantha Edwards insists the event will still go ahead later in the year, and has earmarked September or October for it to take place.

The zombie-themed event is being held to raise money for the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund – a Shropshire-based charity which offers treatment and support for cancer patients.

Samantha has witnessed the work the charity does, as her close friend has had its support recently.

She said: "[This event is] all because of a very good friend of mine, Rebecca Hudson, who is terminally ill with cancer.

"I have tried supporting her as much as I can over the years, and I decided it would be good to raise some money.

"I actually started the Couch to 5k programme because I couldn't run very well at all at the start, and after that I ended up doing my first 10k Race For Life to raise money for her.

"Ever since then, I see everything she has to go through, and the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund staff are just amazing and so supportive of her.

"They were looking for people to run the London Marathon for them, so I said I'd do it and I was training towards doing it in April, but that has also been postponed now, so I will be marathon training through the summer to prepare for what will likely be my first and last marathon in October.

"All of the money raised at the Zombie Run event will be put into the same pot for the Lingen Davies Fund, just to say thank you for everything they do for lots of people in Shropshire including my friend.

"What they offer to people in terms of emotional support as well as the physical nursing and care is inspirational. They do everything with a smile on their faces."

Samantha is hoping to raise as much money as possible through the event, and hopes it offers something different for those within the running community.

"The idea of it is to raise as much money as possible," she added.

"It's for all ages really – I have some elderly relatives doing it who will be walking it, some experienced runners, young children and families.

"It's a 5k course, and zombies chase them around the course – there will be walking zombies and running zombies.

"They will basically try to contaminate the walkers and runners to join them in chasing other runners, and when they get to the end we have decontamination juice – which is just a water station.

"People who complete the 5k course without getting caught will be given a goodie bag ad a medal.

"It's all a bit of fun – we'll be doing facepainting and I can do special effect wounds for the zombies.

"October might be more fitting with Hallowe’en approaching!"