NEW company Colchester Sightrunning is offering jogging tours of the town centre as a solution for the fit and healthy visitor with too much to see and too little time.

Its team of guides will lead runners to landmarks such as Colchester Castle and the Old Siege House.

They will then have to get their breath back in order to deliver informative talks about each of the stop-offs on the route.

The combination of history lessons and lung-bursting runs may not be to every tourist’s taste.

But the company says, for people who enjoy jogging, the £9.50 whirlwind tours offer the perfect opportunity to get some exercise and learn about the town’s heritage in the process. Boss Sascha Cutura said: “Colchester has a colourful history dating back more than 2,000 years and there is a lot to see and discover.

“Whilst being active and healthy, you can discover Colchester’s best sights and highlights, all in a timely fashion.”

Jogging tours operate across Europe, everywhere from Amsterdam to Vienna, and in London and Edinburgh in the UK.

The Colchester version is expected to prove popular with trippers from the Netherlands who visit the town for short weekend breaks after getting the ferry from Harwich.

It will start out from the war memorial in High Street and cover a 3.2-mile route, taking in St Botolph’s Priory, East Hill, the Old Siege House, Balkerne Gate, Jumbo, Riverside Cottages, Trinity Street, the town hall and Colchester Castle.

Mr Cutura said the slow-paced jog takes about 45 minutes, which includes a couple of breaks, and was suitable for “all levels of runners”.

The next tour is on Saturday. See www.colchester-sightrunning.co.uk or call 0845 519 4539.