Cancer Research UK scientists based at Oxford University are appealing to Race for Life runners to speed up their collection of sponsorship funding.

Xiaosi Wang, 27, Marinka Steur, 25, Miranda Armstrong, 28, Francesca Crowe, 29, and Alison Price, 35, who took part in the event in the University Parks in Oxford, are working on two major research studies.

The two 5k runs last Saturday and Sunday attracted 5,000 runners and are expected to raise £340,000 for Cancer Research UK.

The scientists, who all live in Oxford, are asking the 5,000 women who took part, to make one last dash for cash to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Ms Crowe added: “We really enjoyed taking part in Race for Life. It was heart-warming to see the many reasons why women took part, and to see them having fun while raising much-needed money for research. I would like to do this again next year.”

Becky Ryczowski, Race for Life event manager for Oxford, added: “It was wonderful to see so many of our world-class scientists taking part this year.

“We are also really grateful to the women who helped make Race for Life at Oxford such a huge success.

“The atmosphere on the day was electric. It was incredibly emotional seeing all the back-signs, showing why women were taking part — in memory or celebration of a loved one or to mark their own cancer journey.

“By taking part, they pledged their support to help fund research into a disease that one-in-three people in the UK will develop at some stage in their lives. Now we are asking them to keep that promise and help Cancer Research UK continue its life-saving work by returning their sponsorship money as soon as possible.”

The scientists are working on the Million Women Study – funded by Cancer Research UK, the Medical Research Council and the NHS Screening Programme – analysing data from more than a million middle-aged women.

Key results from the study have linked long term use of HRT to increased risk of breast cancer.

They are also working on the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), an on-going study into the diets of more than half a million people in 10 European countries, funded by Cancer Research UK, the Medical Research Council and other European agencies.

Findings have highlighted that both obesity and drinking lots of alcohol increase the risk of several types of cancer.

Ms Ryczowski added: “Despite improvements in treatment, one in four people in the UK will die from cancer.We want to change that. Cancer Research UK aims to save many more lives over the next decade. And to do this we need everyone who took part in Race for Life to help us raise as much money as possible.”

For details on sending in sponsorship money, or to donate, visit raceforlife.org