HALSTEAD Marathon race director Keith Thorogood believes this year’s event may be a record-breaker when it takes place on Sunday.

The ever-popular Halstead event, which is organised by Halstead Road Runners, doubles up as the Essex Marathon Championships and with a strong field of local runners expected on the start line, Thorogood feels that the course record of two hours 42 minutes may fall.

He said: “It is proving popular again this year.

“There are already over 600 entries, which is a bit up from last year, and we can take more entries on the day.

“Included in that are some really good runners from clubs around the area and I think we might break the record.

“It’s always seen as a quick course, even with the hills that are there.”