Drinking pals more used to pub crawls than fun runs will be raising money for Cancer Research UK in this year's Race for Life.

Mandy Hayward, whose teenage son Ricky has leukaemia, has persuaded seven of her friends and one of their daughters to take on the 5km run to "give something back" to all the people who have helped them cope.

Ricky, 17, was diagnosed with leukaemia in December 2003, and has been receiving treatment and support from the Teenage Cancer Unit at St James's Hospital in Leeds.

Now the team of eight women and eight-year-old Jade Outram are putting on their running shoes to take part in the women-only event after seeing an article about it in the Telegraph & Argus.

Mandy, 45, of Low Moor, Bradford, said: "We saw the article about the women from Tesco's taking part in the T&A and it gave me the inspiration to go for it.

"I thought of Ricky and thought it's about time I did something to give back what we have got out."

Ricky, a former pupil at Wyke Manor, is now studying catering and hospitality at Bradford College.

He is undergoing three years of treatment for the disease and Mandy said they had received excellent support from the hospital and also the Teenage Cancer Trust.

The women intend to walk the event, which will be held at Lister Park, Manningham on June 5. Mandy said: "Everybody knows somebody who has had cancer and we need to do all we can for them. I would encourage any women out there thinking of doing it to take part."

Because of the event's popularity last year, Bradford is the only place in the North to hold two races on the same day.

Four thousand women are expected to take part in the event, which is being sponsored by the T & A.

So far 1,380 women have signed up, and there are still 2,620 places left.