Organisers of Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life in Canterbury have cancelled next year’s event.

The charity says it is reducing the number of fund-raisers to streamline costs by cutting a number of less popular races.

Hayley Reynolds, Cancer Research UK Event Manager for Kent, said: "We owe it to our participants and supporters to ensure that we raise as much money as possible in the most cost-efficient way.

"Although 1176 women took part at our event in Canterbury in July, entries were lower than anticipated. Taking the costs of staging the event into consideration, we have had to take the difficult decision to cancel it for 2012."

She added: "We are very grateful to our participants, and their supporters, who took part in the Canterbury event this year and in the past.

"I’d like to thank Mrs Sunley and Mr Ellis at Godmersham Park House for their support.

"We also want to express our heart-felt thanks to everyone who has taken part in Race for Life in Canterbury and we hope our supporters will understand the reason for this difficult decision for 2012.

"We would really like to encourage everyone who took part at the Godmersham Park event to continue to support us by entering Race for Life at alternative events at Herne Bay, Margate and Folkestone and Maidstone."

To find out more about Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life and register for 2012, visit www.raceforlife.org.