Well, I've had some strange requests in my 36 years as a journalist but the call from St Teresa's Hospice takes the sugar lump: "How do you fancy being the back-end of a pantomime horse?"

On Wednesday, it's the St Teresa's Hospice Charity Race Day at Catterick Racecourse and proceedings begin with a pantomime horse race. Some dobbin or other thought it would be a good idea if The Northern Echo had a runner.

I checked the diary, secretly hoping that there'd be a good reason to make my apologies, but, sadly, Wednesday was blank. My conscience got the better of me and I'm now officially entered for the race over a furlong – or an eighth of a mile.

Naturally, I needed a front end of the horse so one of the The Northern Echo's finest writers, Chris Lloyd (though not one of its finest athletes), has been roped in.

It has been decided that our horse will be called "William Steed" – in memory of one of the paper's most illustrious editors, William Stead.

We've got neigh chance of winning but, if you fancy supporting us for a thoroughbred cause, go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Peter-Barron.