Cross country, fell and other runners from far and wide will descend on the Preseli Hills in north Pembrokeshire on Saturday for the 37th annual Ras Beca.

And with the hot summer having dried out the gruelling five mile course there is optimism among runners and organisers that the 21-year record for the race could be broken.

The record of 32 minutes 5 seconds was set by former St Dogmaels triathlete Aled Rees in 1995 and no one has since come anywhere near beating the time. Rees won the event on three occasions.

First run in 1977 the race commemorates the nineteenth century Rebecca Riots when farmworkers disguised as women smashed tollgates across the country.

Ras Mochyn Du, a one mile race for children gets underway at 1.30pm and the big race is scheduled to start at 2.30pm. Last year’s winner was Phillipe Jones of Aberystwyth Running Club who came home ahead of Glyn Price of the Sarn Helen club.

One of the organisers Glyn Vaughan said entries are already coming in thick and fast and a large field is expected for the race. Further details can be obtained from Glyn on tel. 07792812799.