The Helensburgh Colour Canter is a 3.2km route which participants can walk, jog, or canter along the promenade from the swimming pool to Kidston Park and back.

The October event – supported by the Advertiser – will be the first of its kind in the town, with around 1,000 participants being colourfully ‘bombed’ around the planned route.

Those taking part will start-out wearing white clothes before ending up drenched in all the colours of the rainbow at the finish line.

Along the race route there will be four ‘bombing zones’, and runners, friends, and relatives will be able to purchase minibags of colour to ensure the fun never stops.

The coloured powder is made from corn starch, which is EN71 compliant. It is suitable for cosmetics and is safe and biodegradable.

The Colour Canter will raise funds to build Craigrownie Play Park for the children of the Rosneath Peninsula.

Fundraisers, such as sponsored walks, have been held to raise nearly £80,000 so far towards the play park – and a final push is needed to reach the £100,000 target.

It is planned that work could begin on the park in spring 2016.

The Colour Canter is being organised by Rosneath Peninsula West Community Development Trust (RPWCDT), and all money raised will go to the play park fund.

Entrants will receive a free t-shirt, their race number, which must be worn at the run, and a sponsorship form to assist in raising funds for the play park. There will be a prize for the runner who raises most sponsorship money.

The sponsorship forms and money should be brought to the start on Sunday, October 11.

Coloured minibags and eyeglasses will be available for purchase at the start.

Music and zumba will kick off the day at 10am, with participants able to put in an early warm-up.

The canter will start at noon.

There is no age restriction, the only limit being that only 1,000 participants can take part.

Murdo MacDonald, convener of the RPWCDT, said people needed to enter the event as soon as possible – as the organisers are expecting a full run.

The idea came about after Mr MacDonald’s daughter took part in a similar event, and told him how much fun everyone had on the day.

He suggested it to the committee and the event stemmed from that.

Similar events have been run in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Perth cities – although Helensburgh is set to be the first town in the country to host one.

Mr MacDonald told the Advertiser: “The trust and the play park group very grateful for the encouragement and assistance the Colour Canter has received from Police Scotland and Argyll and Bute Council.

“The best part is the number of those involved in the permit process that want to enter and get powder-bombed. It’s great to see so much enthusiasm.” He said Helensburgh was ideal for the event, as the promenade could accommodate the runners, and transport links meant many more people could come to the event.

For further information and entry forms: www.helensburghcolourcanter.co.uk or Facebook: Helensburgh Colour Canter.

Application forms can be returned to: Helensburgh Colour Run, Craig Ailey, South Ailey Road, Cove, Argyll, G84 0PL.

Entries must be returned by Wednesday, September 30 at the latest – but spaces may fill up before then.

For their own safety no animals are allowed.