THOUSANDS are expected to take part in this year's Diabetes UK Great North Walk.

The event - the sister event of the Great North Run - will be held in Darlington on Sunday, July 15.

More than 3,000 walkers, including Darlington MP and former health secretary Alan Milburn, took part in last year's walk.

Diabetes UK is the sponsor and official charity for the walk for the first time in its 19-year history. The charity, which has a regional office based in Darlington, is now searching for walkers to raise sponsorship to help fund diabetes research in the hope of finding a cure.

When it is not properly managed, or undiagnosed, diabetes can result in fatal complications such as heart disease, kidney failure, stroke and lower limb amputation - illnesses which kill more people each year than bowel, prostate and breast cancer combined.

A spokeswoman for the charity said: "This year, Diabetes UK had the opportunity to fund £18m worth of groundbreaking research, undertaken by some of the greatest universities and centres of excellence throughout the UK.

"Due to our limited resources, we were only able to fund £6m of research last year. Did we miss that vital project which would have led to a cure?

"Please support Diabetes UK at this year's Great North Walk if you possibly can - make your miles go further."

The Great North Walk takes a 9.5-mile route from Darlington's Springfield Park around the surrounding County Durham countryside.

For further information on how to take part, visit www.greatwalk.org or call the hotline on 01325-388157. Organisers are expecting the high demand for entries to continue, so early entry is recommended.

For more information on the work of Diabetes UK, visit www.diabetes.org.uk