THE pounding of hooves will once again be heard in Saltaire's Roberts Park over the festive season with Epilepsy Action's Reindeer Stampede.

The family fun run, now in its fifth year, has become firmly established as part of the Yeadon-based national charity's annual calendar of events.

This year's race will take place on Sunday, December 7, and is set to feature the usual herd of runners in various reindeer guises tackling the circular 5km route.

The run is open to anyone aged eight and upwards, with children under that age able to take part in a mini 650m course.

Money raised via entry fees helps to support more than 600,000 people affected by epilepsy in the UK, including 21,000 across West Yorkshire.

Carl Foster, fundraising events officer at Epilepsy Action, said: "The Reindeer Stampede has really captured the imagination.

"Every December, hundreds of people come to Saltaire to take part and we’re hoping for an even bigger turn-out this year.

"It’s a fun, family event, perfect for getting into the festive mood.

"Participants can run or walk the course in all kinds of costume, and any little reindeers can gallop their own shorter version.

"Since we started in 2010, the Reindeer Stampede has raised over £20,000 and makes a huge difference to the lives of people affected by epilepsy.

"Just £6 could help our experts support someone newly diagnosed with epilepsy, providing advice and information when they need it most."

Registration on the day starts at 9am, with advance entry costing £12 for adults and £6 for children under 15.

The children’s 650m fun run, for those under the age of eight, costs £2.50.

Runners can wait until the day of the race to sign up for an additional £2, with reindeer antlers and santa hats available to buy for an extra £2.50.

All finishers will receive a medal and mince pie, and there are also volunteering opportunities available for non-runners.

Last year, Epilepsy Action helped more than £1.2million people affected by the condition, with 87 people newly diagnosed across the UK every day.

The charity, which relies on donations and fundraising for more than 95 per cent of its services, improves healthcare by supporting epilepsy specialist nurses and epilepsy research.

For more information, or to sign up for the run, visit www.epilepsy.org.uk/reindeer, or contact the charity's events team on 0113 210 8797.