Santa run shock

Organisers of a Powys charity run have revealed that next year's event will be the last one ever.

Newtown Dial-A-Ride's Santa Run hopes to go out with a bang by attracting 8,000 runners – more than double its previous best.

This year, the event raised thousands of pounds for charities, but organiser Andrew Mills said next year he would end the race for good.

He said a new event was in the pipeline to replace the Santa Run in 2010 at a different time of the year.

Mr Mills said: "I can confirm that the next Santa Run will be the very last one and we will attempt to get 8,000 runners to take part.

"It has been running now since 2001 and has held the Guinness World Record in the past with 3,445 runners, but we want to get 8,000 next year.

"We would effectively have to close the whole of Newtown to do it, but we will try and go out with a bang."

Attracting 8,000 runners would more than double Newtown's previous best, but would still be some way off the current world record.

That is held by Derry, Northern Ireland, where 12,965 people took part in its Santa Run last year.

Porto in Portugal could have beaten the record last week however, with a reported 14,200 competitors, but this has yet to be confirmed.

Mr Mills said the new event would be held in the summer months and be something just as exciting.