THE Observer-sponsored Great Midlands Fun Run may still be four months away but event organiser Tracy Spare has labelled the early interest "unprecedented".

Registration for the event on Sunday, June 10 has been open for less than two weeks but more than 1,500 people have signed up already.

That figure, added to by numerous phone calls and emails to Tracey, has led the organiser to admit he has not seen anything like it before.

Tracey said: "This really is unprecedented when you look at the numbers we've had already.

"At this stage last year, we had about 600 entrants but we did launch the online and paper applications at the same time.

"This year, we had them one week apart. The numbers are staggering.

"I think we'll be looking at 2,000 people by the end of the weekend, and even though we have upped the total allowed to take part to 7,000, I still think it could be possible to see all the places taken up by the end of March.

"In Sutton Coldfield itself the response has been amazing.

"We have had clubs like the Boldmere Falcons taking more than 300 forms to enter and also the likes of Arthur Terry saying that they will have more people taking part than last time round.

"That is a good couple of hundred there to add to the total and just goes to show the level of interest."

Last year's fun run did not sell out until the last few days and, for Tracey, that is further proof of an ever-growing popularity in the annual run.

He said: "We've sold out of places in the last two years, but we've still had people entering late in both of them.

"It's so hard to judge but, if we keep going like this, I don't think we'll have that again this year and that can be down to a number of things.

"It could be that more people are hearing about the event and wanting to take part, or it could be that, as it's the 10th anniversary, people are wanting to be a part of that.

"It could also be the fact that we're in an Olympic year, with the tournament to take part here in the UK.

"The PR machine is very much up and running for that and that may have got people feeling like they want to do something, to take part in something like this.

"My advice to them, as always, is to get your entries in early. Interest is high and you do not want to be disappointed."

Over £228,000 was raised by last year's fun run.