BOROUGH folk looking to improve their fitness this year are being encouraged to take part in a running course and help raise money for charity at the same time.

Dudley Kingswinford Running Club will be staging another of its popular ten-week beginners' courses starting next month from its Heathbrook headquarters.

The club has been running the courses for the past eight years and they have proven increasingly popular.

John Glover, who runs the course with fellow DK runner Ingrid Cain, said: "Last year we had a tremendous total 140 people sign up to the course. Everyone gets a sponsor form when they sign, although there's absolutely no obligation. But as a result, we managed to raise £4,850 for Action Heart last year alone.

"We train twice a week and the objective is to get everyone from scratch up to competing in the Gavin Tipper Memorial 5K race at the end of the course on June 4."

Enrolment takes place at 7pm on Thursday March 26 at Dudley Kingswinford Rugby Club, with the course starting on Tuesday March 31.

The course costs £35 and is open to anyone over 18 who can walk at a brisk pace for at least 15 minutes.

There's a free T-shirt to everyone who enters plus sweatshirts and running shoes for those who raise sufficient sponsorship money.

John Glover added: "We try and make the course as enjoyable as possible because we want to see more people involved with running."