Around 32,000 runners are to take on the Adidas Manchester Marathon when it returns to the region this Sunday (April 14).

The 26.2-mile route starts in Old Trafford and takes in almost all of the borough from north to south as well as the city centre.

To allow thousands of runners to compete in safety and security the authorities are to close a number of roads this weekend.

The closures are at different times between 8am on Saturday and midnight on Sunday and are to be crossed at different locations.

The website reads: "Closures will be in effect along and around the route and the roads in the surrounding area which are open will be busy so please plan extra time for any journeys. Many bus services will be diverted due to the closures. 

"We recommend using the Metrolink to travel to and from the event as there are several stops close to the event village in Trafford."

Around 28,000 runners took on last year's Adidas Manchester Marathon raising a total of almost £2 million for their chosen charities.

The winners were Ignas Brasevicius (2:16:27) and Naomi Mitchell (2:31:27) with Kieran Walker and Ollie Lockley and Malin Starfelt and Georgie Bruinvels coming second and third in the men's event and the women's event respectively.

There are changes to this year's Adidas Manchester Marathon including the introduction of a new mascot, Chester the Bee, who is the partner of the old mascot, Manny the Bee, in celebration of the Greater Manchester LGBTQIA+ community. The finishers' medals have had a facelift and the finishers' t-shirts have been designed by the artist Meha Hindocha to include some of the sights along the 26.2 mile route.

For information from the Adidas Manchester Marathon go to manchestermarathon.co.uk. For information from Transport for Greater Manchester go to tfgm.com/manchester-marathon. 

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.