HUNDREDS of extra places will available at one of this summer’s most colourful running events.

The Naomi House & Jacksplace Rainbow Run returns to Upton Country Park in Poole on Sunday, July 1.

The event sees participants pelted with bucket loads of multi-coloured powdered paint as they run or walk their way around the 3k course.

Last year’s event was a sell-out so this year organisers will be releasing an additional 300 tickets meaning, 1,100 runners can take part.

There will be no less than four paint stations along the route, each with ample amounts of powdered paint to ensure everybody goes home covered in colour.

The paint used is made from a safe and biodegradable potato starch.

Runners won’t be timed as the event is not about speed or fitness but having fun with friends or family, say organisers.

Naomi House & Jacksplace are the only hospices offering a 24-hour, 365 day a year respite service for Dorset’s life-limited children, young adults and their families. Additionally, the charity cares for Dorset families during emergencies and at the end of a child’s life. The charity is celebrating its 21st anniversary throughout 2018 and urging the community to join in the celebrations by taking part in an event.

Staff at Naomi House & Jacksplace anticipate the event will raise £30,000 towards the care of medically complex children from Dorset and across the South.

Keith Wilson, spokesperson for the hospices, said: “Our last Rainbow Run in Poole was a tremendous success and 800 fabulous fun runners collectively raised enough money to provide more than 2,000 hours of high quality nursing care to Dorset’s life-limited and life-threatened children.

“We receive superb support from people right across Dorset and we know when we stage an event like this that the community will get totally behind it. Places are selling fast and the Rainbow Run will almost certainly sell out, so I would urge people to sign up soon, secure their place and do their bit to support the region’s most seriously ill children on good days, difficult days and last days in this our 21st year.”

Registration for the event is now open and pre-booked places cost £15 for adults and £10 for children but will increase by £5 from April 4.

The event will begin at 10.30 am and is open to runners of any age.

To sign up visit naomihouse.org.uk/events