A BID to enlarge an annual charity fund-raising event has been scrapped, due to the lack of demand.

Welwyn Hatfield hosts a Race for Life each year, in which participating women can walk, jog or run a five-kilometre course.

And, for the first time, there were due to be two races at Stanborough Lakes in WGC – one as always in the morning, and another in the afternoon.

But entries for the second race have been much lower than expected, forcing organisers Cancer Research UK and Tesco to merge the events.

The combined event will start at 11am on Sunday, June 5.

Event manager Vicki Brown said she hoped people would understand the move.

She said: “This is the first year we planned to stage an afternoon event and we originally thought demand for places would be higher.

“As entries for the afternoon event have been much lower than we anticipated, we have taken the difficult decision to merge it with the morning event.

“Race for Life raises money to fund life-saving research, so we owe it to our supporters to ensure we raise as much money as possible in the most cost-efficient way.

“Changing the time will help us make savings on event costs and ensure all the women taking part experience the same unforgettable Race for Life atmosphere.”

Organisers are now contacting those women who had already signed up to the afternoon event to advise them of the change in plans.

Anyone who cannot make the new time will be able to transfer to another Race for Life event in the area.

So far, just under 1,800 are set to take part in the Welwyn Hatfield event and, with a race limit of 3,000, there’s still time to sign up and, as this year’s tag-line goes, “join the girls”.

To do just that, click on the link above or call 0871 641 1111.