Organisers of the Oxford Mail-sponsored Town and Gown Fun Run have been inundated with entries for the race on Sunday.

Joint organiser Ian Hale said phone lines had been ringing constantly with calls inquiring about the 10km race. Hundreds of people are expected to line the route.

Almost half of the 2,010 applicants secured their places in the race by filling in entry forms which were published in the Oxford Mail and its sister publications.

But Mr Hale said the forms had now been withdrawn from the newspapers because there were fewer than 100 places for runners left.

Applications are already up by 500 on last year and the organisers are expecting to fill all the vacant places by Sunday.

As well as the adult runners, 66 children aged 11 to 14 have signed up for the 3.5km junior race at 10am. The main race starts at 10.30am in Parks Road.

Mr Hale said: "Last year was exceptional and we thought it was because other races were cancelled due to foot and mouth but we're expecting it to be the highest ever number of entries this year "

Last year, the Town and Gown fun runners raised a record £32,000 in sponsorship for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. Mr Hale said: "The figure leapt quite significantly last year and that was in line with the increase in numbers, so we're expecting even more sponsorship money this year."

The race attracts runners from all over Britain and has recently been awarded a British Association of Road Races gold certificate.

In line with its title, representatives from both the local community and university will be running side by side.

The Fitness Company, from Bicester, has entered a team of 50, and Somerville College, Oxford, has entered 17 runners.

Family and friends of 25-year-old Stuart Craig, who died in Chamonix, France, earlier this year, will run wearing black armbands as a tribute to the St Catherine's College student, who regularly took part in the run.

Headington Road Runners have entered the biggest team from an athletics club, with a 50-strong contingent.

Fox FM's Steve Priestley will be among 80 runners from Kidlington-based Aviators Health and Fitness.

Runners who want to take up the final few places in the event should call the organisers on 01993 880309.