Santa needs a lift, and Curly's Athletes has come up with a rather unusual solution. Five willing volunteers, a decorated wheelbarrow and approximately two kilometres of festive mayhem should do the trick when the Great Sprout Scuttle takes over Normanby Hall Country Park on Sunday 13 December.

The North Lincolnshire event has become a popular Christmas fixture, but this year's programme has an entertaining new addition. Santa's Super Sleigh Challenge invites teams of five to transport Father Christmas around a special course, collecting a present along the way. Each team needs one Santa, four reindeer and a suitably decorated wheeled sleigh, otherwise known as a wheelbarrow. Only 12 teams can take part, with the entire £100 entry fee going to Lindsey Lodge Hospice.

There is plenty of conventional running on the programme too, although conventional might be stretching things at an event devoted to Brussels sprouts. The Great Sprout Scuttle 5K and 10K take runners along the trails of Normanby Hall Country Park, where woodland surroundings, the possibility of December mud and sightings of the estate's deer provide a distinctive setting. The 5K also welcomes runners with dogs, who receive their own earlier start.

Families can join the fun through the ChristMESS 3K, a newly themed festive adventure featuring a series of Christmas challenges along the route. Participants are encouraged to dress for the occasion, with the untimed event welcoming walkers, joggers and runners of different ages.

Curly's Athletes is once again working with Lindsey Lodge Hospice, which provides specialist care and support for people and families across Scunthorpe and North Lincolnshire. The new sleigh challenge adds another fundraising opportunity to a day already designed around bringing the community together.

With entries available for the running events and team challenge, Normanby Hall looks set for a wonderfully unconventional Christmas gathering. Just remember that Brussels sprouts are considerably easier to transport than Santa.

Enter now via the runABC race hub.

Image courtesy Curly's Athletes.