Parkrun is appealing to runners to support it in its effort to re-start events in June, including at Gunnersbury Park.

Organisers plan to restart the famous free Saturday morning 5k events across England on June 5.

Events in Gunnersbury Park (and across the country) were cancelled last year due to coronavirus restrictions.

Parkrun Chief Executive Officer, Nick Pearson, said: "I am calling on the entire parkrun community to help support our efforts to return on Saturday, June 5.

"If you can influence and encourage your local landowner to confirm permission quickly, please do so.

"If you'd like to volunteer, let your local event know.

"If there is anything at all that you think that you can do to help your local team return, please get in touch with them."

Pearson said that is is essential all adult races begin together.

He said: "Unlike junior parkrun, which can return in phases, our 5k events need to all come back at the same time, with the definition of 'all' probably being something north of 90%.

"This is due to the relatively large attendances and significant opportunity for tourism, meaning that if only a subset of 5k events opened they would very likely be overwhelmed with unmanageable levels of attendance."

The organisation also wrote to landowners presenting a detailed, evidence-based rationale for why, when, and how parkrun events should return.

Pearson said: "We wrote to the landowners of all 589 5k events in England, requesting their permission to once again hold parkrun events on their land.

"Over the course of the pandemic we have sought to be as transparent as possible, to keep the community informed of exactly what is going on.

"We are committed to maintaining that openness and will be providing regular updates on the status of these permission requests over the coming days and weeks.

"The past year has been difficult for everyone and, clearly, some things have changed.

"In a few instances, the spaces we previously used for events have altered (some have become a temporary COVID-19 vaccine centre for example) and it would no longer be possible to hold our events in the same location.

"Where this is the case, we are working with local authorities to understand alternative options, or to continue to wait patiently for the situation to change such that we can return.

"In the large majority of parkrun locations however, we are confident that parkrun events will be able to return, and we look forward to working with landowners to get those events back on Saturday 5 June."

More on Parkrun and how you can take part.