SIR John Madejski is calling on the town to get behind the runners as the countdown begins to tomorrow's "record breaking" Reading Half Marathon.

The adrenaline will be pumping when more than 20,000 runners - the highest number ever - set off from Green Park tomorrow (Sunday) for this year's hotly anticipated race - and the entrepreneur and Royals chairman will be among them.

Sir John, who is tackling the 13.1m course in aid of the Duchess of Kent House Hospice Charity (DOKHHC), said: "It's going to be incredible. Sport is such a big motivator and I am glad to be part of what is such a major event in Reading's diary. With 20,000 people taking part it's going to be record breaking and I would encourage everybody to support it and hopefully lots of money will be raised for charities and good causes."