FUNDRAISERS at the Oxford Children’s Hospital are hoping GMTV presenter Kirsty McCabe brings plenty of sunshine with her on the day of the OX5 Run.

Mrs McCabe, 33, joined the ITV breakfasy show in January last year as one of its weather presenters.

The self-confessed “gym bunny” and a number of friends will be attending the five-mile run in the grounds of Blenheim Palace in Woodstock on Sunday, April 18, although she has not decided if she will run.

She said: “I’m delighted to be supporting the OX5 Run this year. I thoroughly enjoyed living and studying in Oxford, so I’m looking forward to revisiting the area.

“I’ll be there on the day with friends and may even persuade some more of my GMTV colleagues to come along too.

“The run is such a positive and fun way to raise funds for the Oxford Children’s Hospital.”

Kate Allen, managing director of recruitment consultants Allen Associates, which is sponsoring the run, said: “It’s a real asset to have Kirsty supporting the fundraising for the run and especially great that she’ll be there on the day.

“No doubt she’ll inspire many more people to get involved and have fun while raising funds for the hospital. It looks set to be a fantastic event.”

Mrs McCabe is the latest well-known personality to record a JACK fm advert promoting the run, together with singer Jason Donovan, who is starting the race, and Witney MP David Cameron.

This year, organisers are hoping 1,000 runners take part to raise £65,000 for new toys and equipment, and 500 people have already signed up.

Sarah Vaccari, a spokesman for Oxford Children’s Hospital, said: “We are delighted that Kirsty McCabe is joining the growing group of runners taking part in the OX5 Run and hope that she brings good weather with her so we have prefect conditions on the day.”

Born in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Mrs McCabe studied at Edinburgh University from 1993, gaining a first-class honours degree in geophysics.

She went on to further study at Oxford University, looking for evidence of climate change in old volcanic soils on the Greek island of Santorini.

In September 2003, she joined the BBC Weather team.

affrench@oxfordmail.co.uk