Visitors to Aireville Park, Skipton, on October 26 – a week before Halloween – could be forgiven thinking they were on the set of a horror film.

The place will be haunted by the living dead – zombies – on the prowl to capture people daring to challenge them on a run for life.

The zombie survival challenge is being set up by the events company, freebirdevents, from York, which arranged the recent Skipton Triathlon.

Up to 1,000 people can take on the run to tackle a series of fiendish obstacles while being hunted down by the zombie pack.

Paul Mathieson, who organises the challenges along with his brother Peter, said: “This is the first event of this type we have organised and Aireville Park is ideal because of the landscape. We have chosen October 26 because it is near Halloween.

“We want as many competitors to put on fancy dress – even come as zombies – we want it to be as colourful a show as possible. And people can take part for charity if they wish.

“Competitors wear three tags and the aim is to get round the course with as many tags as possible. If they lose them they get classed as the undead, but they can continue round the course.”

The senior course will be 10k and the junior 5k. Each will involve a series of tests to avoid the blood-thirsty virus- spreading zombies.

The challenge will be rounded off at a zombie party with a licensed bar, live music and entertainment.

Anyone interested in taking part should log on to zombiesurvivalrun.co.uk or freebirdevents.co.uk