CELEBRATING its 30th year this summer's Polaroid Eyewear 10k run series reaches Dumbarton this week.

Hundreds of runners will pound the streets on Thursday evening as the town stages the third race of the four-race series.

Those participating will take to the route which starts in the town's East End Park at 7.30pm, they will run out of the town past Milton towards Bowling before heading back west towards Dumbarton. They will be cheered on their way on the final stages of the route which takes in Dumbuck Road, Round Riding Road, Bonhill Road and Crosslet Road before reaching the 10,000m finishing line back at East End Park.

More than 1,750 runners have already taken part in the two previous races of the series which were staged in Helensburgh and Clydebank earlier this month. Almost 800 runners from all over Scotland took part in the Helensburgh event on May 12 , while last Thursday, May 19, saw close to 1,000 people start the race in Clydebank. Running conditions at the latter event were almost ideal with a bout of rain at the start of the race providing cool conditions for the 976 competitors who started.

This is the final year Polaroid will sponsor the race and the three partners who run the four races are going to have to find a new benefactor.

The series's organisers which include Dumbarton Amateur Athletics Club, Clydesdale Harriers and Helensburgh Amateur Athletics Club are responsible for the organisation of the races in their respective towns and combine to organise the Vale of Leven 10K which is the fourth and final race of the series. This race is scheduled to take place on Sunday June 5 at 10am.

A spokesman for Polaroid said: "The Polaroid Eyewear 10k Series has grown since its first race in 1987 with around 100 runners up to 1,000 taking part in each race in recent years.

"The series comprises of four 10k road races in May and June in the towns of Clydebank, Dumbarton, Vale of Leven and Helensburgh, which are local to the Polaroid Eyewear global manufacturing and distribution facility.

"The aim of the series is to provide a safe, well organised series of community running events that participants of all ages and abilities can enjoy. The main organisation consists of a team drawn from athletic clubs from the local community of each location, including Clydesdale Harriers, Helensburgh Amateur Athletics Club and Dumbarton Amateur Athletics Club."