ONE thousand people are set to take part in a fun run tomorrow, Sunday, which is being held in memory of a grandad-of-six who died at the event last year.

Neil Rigby collapsed during the Wigan and Leigh 5k Colour Run at Pennington Flash Country Park.

Despite the efforts of emergency services, which included an air ambulance, the 47-year-old died at the scene.

There will be around 30 members of Neil's family taking part in the run this year to remember him. They requested for the St Helens Road park to be the venue for the run.

After the details of the event were confirmed earlier this year, Neil's wife of 24 years, June, said: “Neil’s death was so unexpected and him not being here has left a huge hole in our lives.

“It’s very important to me and my family that the colour run is taking place again this year.

"When it happened Neil was raising money for Wigan and Leigh Hospice and the Wigan Warriors Community Foundation and he was so excited at the start of the colour run- he was dancing around doing his ‘dad dancing’ as we called it.

"This is why me and my daughters want to do the colour run again- to raise money for the charities he was supporting and to remember him.”

Before the run begins at noon, everyone is given a bag of powder paint which is hurled into the air.

The participants, who can run, jog or walk the distance, will be tainted in red, blue, purple, green and red powder as they make it past the various colour stations.

Funds raised from the event will be split between Wigan and Leigh Hospice and the Wigan Warriors Community Foundation.

Wigan and Leigh Hospice fundraising and lottery manager Maxine Armstrong said: “We have kept in regular contact with Neil’s family over the arrangements for this year’s Colour Run and we are delighted that they will be joining us on the day.

“This will be a day when we remember Neil and why he was taking part in the Colour Run- to raise money to help local people.

"It will also be a day for celebration and plenty of fun.”