ENTRIES for this year's Race for Life in Southampton have closed three months ahead of the event.

As many as 10,000 women have signed up for the largest event of its kind in the city.

Organisers are urging women who have secured a place not to ignore the real aim of day. It's been revealed only 60 per cent of last year's participants bothered to collect their sponsorship money and return it to Cancer Research UK.

Last year women in the city raised just under £599,727 but hundreds of thousands of pounds more could have been raised if all those who took part collected their money.

Jacqui Lewis, 35, said it was imperative those with places did raise the money. "It is not just about completing the race and getting the medal it is about raising the money too."

The mum-of-four whose own mother died of cancer, added: "It is important those who are running do collect the money too as they could be taking the place of the woman who didn't manage to get a place but who would have raised the money."

Race organiser Lorna Glanfield said she was thrilled with the swift response from local women eager to sign up for this year's event on July 16.

"I'm absolutely delighted that this year's race has been so popular. I hope that all those women who have a place are looking forward to the day and are well on their way to raising lots of sponsorship to help us reach our £600,000 local target. There are still lots of important jobs for volunteers so you can be part of the experience even if you're not one of the participants," said Lorna.

Although there were no more places available for the Southampton race there are still some left for the Winchester event being staged on May 7.

The quickest way to enter is by visiting www.raceforlife.org where full details of all races in the 2006 series are available.

The Southampton race is the largest single event in the Race for Life calendar and has grown from the first race in Battersea in 1994 to become the UK's biggest women only fundraising event.

This year organisers hope to raise £46 million with the help of 750,000 women across the country and in Southampton, Lorna hopes local women will raise £600,000.