TURNING 30 might prove painful for some – but Poole’s premier sporting event is planning to celebrate in style as it hits the landmark.

Hundreds of children from Baden-Powell and St Peter’s Middle School helped to launch this year’s Poole Festival of Running yesterday.

The event has blossomed into one of the south’s top race dates, with thousands of athletes of all ages competing in Poole Park.

The blue riband 10k race will again attract top middle-distance runners from around the country, while the main beneficiary for this year’s fundraising 5k will be the Poole Hospital Charity.

Proceeds will be used to buy much-needed equipment for the maternity hospital and neo-natal intensive care unit.

Pam Bell, from the charity, said: “It’s great to be involved with the festival, which raises a lot of money and a lot of awareness of the cause.

Craig Dunn, from festival sponsors Newton Magnus, said he ran the race for the first time last year and was impressed at the atmosphere.

Organisers Poole Runners are urging children to sign up for the morning minithons and win PE equipment for their school.

The school with the most entrants will win £200 of vouchers, while every child who enter a minithon before the day will be entered into a prize draw to win a Nintendo Wii.

St John Ambulance will be on standby at the festival on June 5 to look after ailing athletes.

In celebration of the festival’s 30 years, organisers are looking for people who entered the first race in 1981.

Anyone with memories or photographs can email <&bh"mailto:fundraising@poole.nhs.uk">fundraising@poole.nhs.uk<&eh> or call 01202 448449.

To enter any of the races, go to poolerunners.com, call the number above or you can pick up a form in any of Poole’s leisure centres.