THREE elite athletes from Ethiopia will line up for the Malvern Hills Ultra 52-mile race on Saturday, May 7.

Tibeu Woubet, Berhanu Addane and Anbesse Tolosa have all signed up for the race.

These elite athletes are celebrated marathon runners with victories between them in the Japan, Paris, Santiago, Tokyo and Honolulu Marathons.

The second-annual Malvern Hills Ultra sees participants choose between a 52-mile or 83-mile race option and involves a total ascent of more than 4,000 feet.

The race starts at Top Barn Activity Centre and the 52-mile track leads onto the Severn Way, through Grimley, Worcester, Upton-upon-Severn and then onto the foot of the Malvern hills, where participants have already completed a marathon distance.

The group will then negotiate the Worcestershire Beacon and the route then touches the River Teme before heading to Holt Castle.

The 83-mile route, meanwhile, extends out south beyond Tewkesbury on the Severn Way and then connects the Three Choirs Way, heading north towards the Worcestershire Way and coming in north towards Bewdley and returning south, also to Holt Castle.

The race start time for the 52-mile event is 9am, with the 83-mile race and walkers getting under way at 6am on the day.

Individual entries are priced £55 per person for the 52-mile event, with team relay entries with a minimum of four and maximum of six people priced £35 per person.

The 83-mile race costs £75 per person for individual entries, team relay participation, minimum of four and maximum of 10 people, are £45 per person.

Corporate relay team entries, maximum of six people, are £900 per group.

For more information, go to ultrarunning.uk.com or call organiser Steve Worrallo on 07860 418040.