Runners in the popular Redcar Half-Marathon will be showing real driving ambition this year - with an electric car setting the pace for the first time.

The event, which attracts hundreds of runners to the seaside town, is going green by having Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council's zero-emission vehicle leading the field.

The Mitsubishi i-Miev is an integral part of the authority's efforts to cut carbon emissions, as it can be charged from a normal domestic electricity supply.

And it will be given the perfect platform to showcase the Borough's green credentials when it joins athletes in tackling the 13.1-mile half-marathon route on Sunday, June 12.

As well as the 29th half-marathon, there will also be a family fun run, taking place at Redcar Athletic FC's Green Lane Playing Field and sponsored by the Redcar and Cleveland NHS Primary Care Trust.

The Mayor of Redcar & Cleveland Councillor Ray Goddard's charities - Zoe's Place, the RNLI and Mike Findley's MND Fund - as well as TFM Radio's Cash for Kids appeal will benefit from the event, while runners can also raise money for their own favourite causes.

The event is organised by Tees Valley Leisure and Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council.

Tees Valley Leisure Managing Director Ian Donley said: "We're delighted to have the electric car leading the way in this year's event.

"The half-marathon is always a hugely popular occasion, which brings people to Redcar from all over the country, so it is an ideal way of promoting the environmentally-friendly work taking place here."