ONE of Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland's big fundraisers will be taking place at Lochore Meadows Country Park this May.

CHSS will be urging as many people as possible to enter the Beast Races events on Saturday and Sunday May 30 and 31 at the Meedies as.

And as a long-term supporter, Scottish Conservative Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP, Alexander Stewart was pleased to join the Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS) team outside The Scottish Parliament and to encourage constituents across the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area to take part in the charity’s third annual Beast Races.

Mr Stewart said afterwards: “As co-convener of the Holyrood Cross Party Group on Chest Heart & Stroke, I was delighted to show my support after working alongside Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland for some considerable time.

"It’s fantastic to see that they are the charity partners for the Beast Race again this year, which is a cross-country race with mud, water slides, and plenty of tall obstacles, and I would like to encourage people from the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly to take part.

"The Beast Races are also an important part of the charity's fundraising calendar, and this year they’ll also take place in Banchory, at Loch Ness, and it is for the first time at Lochore – plus the new event will include additional races for children and teenagers – and I wish everyone involved; the charity, the organisers and the competitors, all the very best in this year's events.”

The Meedies will host the toughest Beast Race in the series with a gruelling 15km run around the loch at the park, and then deep into Central Fife's wilderness.

Unlike the events elsewhere, the Fife Beast Race will run for two days and include a 6km and children’s obstacle race, thanks to a £12,000 from EventScotland which will help make it a two day event.

Jonathan Buckland, Director at Zone Events, said: “We would like to say a massive thanks to EventScotland for their support of the Beast Race at Lochore Meadows in May. Thanks to the National Events Fund we can, for the first time, expand the event to include a second family day which will include four fantastic children's and parent’s obstacle courses races.

“This support enables us to attract a much wider demographic entry from further afield and help establish Lochore Meadows as an ideal sporting and event location.”