A new 10K race has been launched in Barnsley to coincide with the last day of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The Cannon Hall Run, which will take participants from historic Barnsley Town Hall to the picturesque Cannon Hall Park and Museum, will take place on Sunday August 12.

Dan Jarvis, MP for Barnsley Central, helped mark the race launch at Cannon Hall, alongside representatives from Barnsley Hospice, the official benefitting charity for the race.

He said: “At a time when people will be inspired by the Olympic Games, I think this is a wonderful event to get the community to come together, not only to get fit but also to raise money for a fantastic charity.”

The run is the flagship sporting event delivered through the unique Newham Barnsley Partnership (NBP). Barnsley is the only place in the country to be partnered with Newham, the Principle Host Borough for the Olympic Games.

The groundbreaking approach to deliver on the promise of London 2012 aims to raise aspirations and create a legacy of increased participation in healthy and active lifestyles.

Local MP for the Cannon Hall estate, Angela Smith said; “In many ways there’s probably nowhere more appropriate for the finishing of this brand new 10k race than Cannon Hall.

“This beautiful old stately home shows that Barnsley has so much more to offer than people think. Also the lovely countryside of west Barnsley will I am sure make the hard work of running that much more enjoyable.

“I would like to congratulate the Newham Barnsley Partnership in organising this race and the pioneering work it is doing to promote and share best practice in creating a lasting Olympic legacy in the borough”

The Cannon Hall Run is an accessible yet challenging 10K (6 mile) route encompassing everything that is great about running in South Yorkshire - linking the winding town centre streets to the open, hilly countryside and finishing at the famous Cannon Hall.

Oliver Coppard, NBP manager, said: “The Cannon Hall run will be the flagship event for Barnsley, focusing on promoting active and healthy lifestyles. The course has been designed to incorporate challenges, as well as being a distance that can be achieved by most levels, from beginner to the more experienced runners.”

For more information about the Cannon Hall Run or to sign up visit www.cannonhallrun.co.uk.