ONE of Wales’ most iconic sporting events, which is said to bring £1m a year into the local economy, is in danger of folding due to a lack of volunteers.

The Race the Train event in Tywyn, which is now into its 33rd year, was the brainchild of the town’s Rotary Club to generate funds for good causes both locally, nationally and internationally, generating around £23,000 every year.

It is also estimated by the race’s organisers that the economic impact upon the local community is worth approximately £1m, as it attracts runners and their supporters from across the UK and from around the world to Tywyn and the surrounding area to compete against the Talyllyn Railway engine.

The first race held back in 1984 attracted 46 runners for what was then a half-marathon.

Today the race caters for around 1,800 runners across four distances, with the main race pitting over 1,000 participants in a gruelling 14-mile cross-country battle against a steam engine.

Race organiser George Watson said: “We hope the local community will once again come forward, otherwise we will have few options other than to change the event structure by streamlining some of the peripheral activities or ultimately not organising any future events at all.

"The 2016 event will go ahead, and possibly 2017 - beyond that, who knows?”

See this week’s Meirionnydd edition of the Cambrian News for the full story