THIS year's Black Country Road Run in Halesowen is on course to be the biggest yet.

Hundreds of people have already signed up to the Halesowen and Rowley Regis Rotary Club organised event on Sunday, September 21.

Last year residents and well wishers lined the route and cheered runners on and organisers are delighted how the town has taken the event to heart.

Rotarian Alan Bowler said: "This will be our third year and we already have 30 per cent more runners signed up than last year.

"We are getting even more charities getting involved this time around as they realise it is great opportunity to raise money."

For serious runners there is the 10km road race starting at 9am and then the 5km family fun at 11am.

Mr Bowler said: "We are getting a lot of club runners entering the 10km race so it should be a high quality field.

"The family fun run is proving popular as well, the more people run in fancy dress the better as it really brings some colour to proceedings."

One of the inspirational runners will be legendary Sandwell fundraiser Blind Dave Heeley who once ran seven marathons across seven continents in seven days.

It will be the first time Blind Dave has run in Halesowen and he will be raising money for the charity JDRF which is trying to find a cure for type one Diabetes.

The course, which starts and finishes on Rumbow, has been modified slightly since last year and will see runners pounding Queensway, The Broadway, High Street, Bromsgrove Road and Summer Hill amongst other roads.

The first fun run in 2012 raised over £6,000 for good causes and last year over £20,000 was raised for various charities after runners were allowed to pick their own charity.

The business fraternity is also backing the BCRR this year with McDonalds, Mercedes Stourbridge and ASDA amongst the big names sponsoring the event.

On the day there will be a collection of food for hard-up families across the Black Country.

Mr Bowler said: "We will also be collecting once again for the Black Country Food Bank and any donations of non-perishable foods will be gratefully received on the day of the event by The Zion Church in Halesowen."