HUNDREDS of people signed up to take part in a children’s charity Rainbow Run thanks to the Daily Echo.

Publicising the event to be held in Poole in May, in which runners are pelted with colourful powdered paint, generated a “phenomenal response”, the best the charity has ever had to an event it has organised.

Staff at the Naomi House and Jacksplace children’s hospice were overwhelmed and delighted by the reaction from Echo readers and its social media followers.

Since the article was published phones at the charity’s fundraising office have been ringing continually and its website saw a huge surge in visitor numbers.

More than 300 entries were received in three days for the 3k fun run at Baiter Park on Sunday, May 10.

Nicole Denison, events fundraiser, said: “We couldn’t believe it. We spotted the article in the Daily Echo and the post on their Facebook page, then before we knew it, hundreds of people were signing up for the event.

“There were points where we were receiving a new entrant every minute.

“Our Southampton Rainbow Run attracted nearly 1,000 participants and the Dorset event looks set to smash that figure.

“We are so incredibly grateful to the Daily Echo and its readers.”

This will be the first Rainbow Run to take place in the county and money raised will go towards the charity’s Cater- pillar Appeal to fully refurbish the Naomi House building at Sutton Scotney.

The organisers are also appealing for sponsors to help fund the paint stations and assist in the throwing of paint.

The hospice near Winchester offers 24-hour care to Dorset life-limited and life-threatened children.

For more information on the Rainbow Run go online to caterpillarappeal.org.uk