Bishop Auckland is set to host three major athletics events this weekend.

The New Balance Running Fitness road race will take place on Sunday morning, based in the grounds of Auckland Castle.

A record number of more than 800 runners will take part in the 10km event which is in its fourth year.

Some of Britain's best distance runners and overseas stars will participate alongside club runners and fitness enthusiasts. This year's event will be even bigger than ever as it will include the National Veterans' 10k championship for men and women.

Thanks to the success of previous road races it has been chosen to include the annual North v South, Midlands v Wales inter-area match.

Among the runners at that event will be some of Britain's finest including Matt O'Dowd and Matt Smith, both of whom represented England in the Commonwealth Games. Max Coleby, head of community and cultural services at Wear Valley District Council, said: "This is a big event for the town to host, in four years it has gone from a non-existent event to one of the country's top five 10km races.

The race starts at Market Place/ Bondgate at 9.30am and takes in two laps of Bishop Auckland passing through Market Place and the castle grounds in the first lap where it will also finish.