Thousands of people are gearing up to take part in this year’s Great North Run.

About 60,000 runners have signed up to the half marathon which starts in Newcastle, heads through Gateshead, South Tyneside and finishes in South Shields.

Olympic silver medallist Kieran Reilly will be the honorary starter for the 43rd event.

Light rain showers and winds have been forecast with temperatures expected to hit 16C, with the main race set to start at 10:55 BST.

Drivers have been warned to plan their journeys home ahead as there will be a number of road closures in place, including a section of the key cross-country M62.

The first race, the elite wheelchair race, is due to start at 10:30 BST.

Over on South Shields beach, artist Claire Eason and the Soul 2 Sand team etched and raked a good luck message in sand to the runners.

“Just keep cannin’, howay the lads and lasses!”, it read.

Entrepreneur Lines Behind, who collaborated on the project, offered a “gentle and Geordie reminder to enjoy every minute”.

North East mayor Kim McGuinness said it would a “privilege” to be on the start line.

She described it as the “best of our great North East”.

Among those running will be Chris Johnson, from Sunderland, who has raised more than £40,000 for a children’s charity since being diagnosed with incurable cancer.

Mr Johnson said the event would be his last race.

“I can’t really run anymore, but I’ll just get round somehow and I’ll know I’ll get plenty of support,” he added.

Debbie Bowling-Mowatt was challenged to take on the Great North Run by her late wife, Lindsay, who was a firefighter.

Ms Bowling-Mowatt and a team, including her father’s former colleagues from the fire service, will be fundraising for The Brain Tumour Charity.

She said: “It’s coming up to nearly a year since Lindsay passed, this just means the absolute world to me and everybody else that’s doing it – I just want to get over that finish line.”

Roads including the A167(M), Newcastle Central Motorway A167(M), the A167 and the A194 will shut on Sunday.

A section of the M62 in Greater Manchester has also been shut until 06:00 BST on Monday to carry out infrastructure works which may affect heading back to the North West.

AA spokesman Tony Rich said: “Runners heading from the North West to the Great North Run are advised to familiarise themselves with the diversion route, in addition to their running route, to avoid heavy traffic scuppering a personal best.”

You can find the full list of road closures here.

Coverage begins from 06:00 BST on BBC Radio Newcastle and from 10:00 BST on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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