JUDGE Frankie Goddard will be a man on the run on July 14 when he takes part in a village fun run near Devizes that he helped to create back in 1983.

Mr Goddard, 69, who sits in the county court in Bath and Swindon, and travel agent friend Robin Myerscough came up with the idea of the Bishops Cannings 5,000 metre dash to add a new dimension to the village's church fete.

Next month the 36th running of the race will be held starting at 3.30pm from the primary school in The Street. One of the best known runners ever to take part was former European 5,000 metre champion Bruce Tulloh who took part in 2001 aged 65. He was famous for running barefoot on the track but he wore his trainers when he took on the hills of Bishops Cannings and finished in ninth place.

Mr Tulloh, who died in April, will be on the minds of Mr Goddard any many of the other runners who regularly take part. Mr Goddard said: "It was very special to have Bruce taking part. He didn't win but his son Clive did back in 1988.

"I haven't run for the past few years but I am getting back into training now so I can take part this year for the 36th running. It may only be 5,000 metres but it is a very difficult course. A lot of people say it is the hardest run they have ever done."

Mr Goddard, who used to live in Bishops Cannings but moved to Seend as his family expanded, is also proud of having the name of Olympic skeleton bob silver medallist Shelley Rudman on the race's role of honour. She won the girls' race for the first time in 1991 and then repeated her success in 1993 and 1994.

Another name appear repeatedly is Catherine Russ who won the girls' race every year from 2001 to 2006 and then took the ladies' title in 2014. For the past few years she has helped Mr Goddard to organise the race.

From 1983 to 1999 an easier and slightly shorter course was run along the Kennet & Avon Canal but this was changed in 2000 and runners now have to complete 5,628 metres.

Alasdair McLean-Forman set the course record of 18mins 21 secs in 2005 and this was matched by Simon Nott in 2017. Mr Nott has won every race since 2009 and his wife Denise has won three times since 2015.

Mr Goddard said: "I hope a lot of people will sign up for this year's run. We are pleased that after all of these years it is still going and people keep coming back." All money raised will go to church funds.

To enter go to bishopscannings5000m.org.uk/entryform/