The 32-strong gang will tackle the 5km Temple Newsam run dressed like Sandy, Rizzo, Frenchie and co from the cult film Grease.

The team, all from Woodkirk High School in Morley, Leeds, have been inspired to run by friend and colleague Denise Horsman who is recovering from breast cancer.

And they have taken the breast cancer theme to the extreme by donning t-shirts, hats and other pink accessories.

Denise, 58, an attendance officer at the school in Morley, said: "Race for Life has a serious message and it can be quite tearjerking to see all these women running for people they might have lost.

"But we think it's a celebration too – people do survive cancer, like me. We're planning to get together and make it a fun day."

Remission

Denise was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2005 and had a lumpectomy to remove the tumour and nearby lymph glands in case the cancer had spread. After a course of radiotherapy, the cancer went into remission.

The grandmother-of-two, from Dewsbury, said: "It was a difficult time and the mental aspect of being diagnosed with cancer was in many ways much harder to deal with.

"You do worry. The doctors and nurses were fantastic. And my friends and family were brilliant, too.

"We decided to do the race to give something back. Without organisations like Cancer Research UK we wouldn't have made all the advances we have now.

"I honestly believe that if I had developed cancer just 10 years ago things might have been very different for me."

It is the third year Denise has led the Pink Ladies team. In 2006, 15 people took part and last year it was 25. This year she has rounded up colleagues, friends and teaching staff.

Midnight

Together they hope to raise more than £2,000 for Cancer Research UK.

There are still some places for the Temple Newsam event, on Sunday, May 18, but entries close at midnight tonight.

There are also spaces at other Race for Life events in the area – Bradford, Huddersfield, Pontefract, Harrogate and York. Visit www.raceforlife.org to find your nearest venue.