A MALE-only fun run which has raised £130,000 in just three years is striving to hit a total of £1m for cancer patients and be as big as the women-only Race for Life.

Miles for Men was launched by Micky Day from Hartlepool in 2012 in memory of his father, Michael, who died from throat cancer in 2007 aged 67.

More than 1,000 runners signed up for the first 5k race in the town with aimed to raise £7,000 but smashed that target when donations of more than £41,000 poured in.

Now an annual event in Hartlepool, Miles for Men runs have also taken part in Sunderland and Liverpool.

The next Miles for Men 5k race is taking place on Sunday, July 19, starting at The Domes in Hartlepool, with full details available at www.milesformen.co.uk.

As well as giving money to Cancer Research and Hartlepool Hospice, families are given respite breaks and sick youngsters at hospitals in the region and further afield receive presents from Mr Day and his small team of organisers who also offer emotional support.

Spin-off events include boxing matches and a darts match featuring the Kaelderen team from Esbjerg, Denmark, which competed against some of the best players in the world including Allan Norris, Martin Atkins, Glen Durrant, Gary Thompson, Brian Dawson, Gary Stone and world women’s number one Deta Hedman.

As well as aiming to hold a run in Denmark, Mr Day is appealing to more North-East businesses to support the unique charity.

“We want to smash the £1m mark, if we can raise this sort of money from a little town there’s no stopping us but we need big businesses to get on board,” he said.

“From the first event it has gone ballistic, we are very proud of what we have achieved but want it to be as big as the Race for Life with runs across the country.”

He added: “My dad would have loved what we have done, he did the London Marathon and the Great North Run so would have been very competitive at our events and would have tried to win.”