A SCHOOLGIRL from Poole town centre is the latest young person to sign up to a running challenge in Poole Park in June.

Olivia Taylor, 10, is entering the Minithons event in the Daily Echo-backed Poole Festival of Running, on June 1, for her second year of running the one-mile-long distance.

The Oakdale Middle School pupil hopes to raise even more money than last year when she made £108 in donations from her family and friends after taking part in the event.

Proud mum, Shirley, said: “It’s a cause quite close to our hearts as we have had a couple of relatives who have been diagnosed with mouth and throat cancer, including Olivia’s uncle Tony Haskey.”

She added: “She enjoyed taking part last year, and it’s what she wants to do in the future, to become a runner, so she wanted to go again this year.

“Olivia is just mad on sport as she was part of an after-school running club, has done Taekwondo for six years, and has now just joined the scouts as well.

“Myself and her dad, John, are just so very proud of her. She is our little superstar.”

Shirley also thanked her employers at Poundland in Poole, who will have a bucket to collect customer donations on the weekend of the Poole Festival of Running.

Any young person aged from eight to 14 can enter the Minithons, with staggered timings from 10am to 11am for the different age groups.

These are in addition to the adult events which include the Poole 10k Race, The Dorset Cancer Centre 5k, which is supported by Daily Echo, and the Children’s Under-eight’s Fun Run.

In order to find out further information go to the website Poolerunners.com