Engineer Ajay Mahajan will be adding a touch of sub-continental spice to a popular annual charity run when he takes on the course in traditional Indian dress.

JCB’s annual Lakeside Five and Fun Run will take place around the grounds of the World HQ, in Rocester, on Thursday, July 13.

Mr Mahajan, 27, is on a 12-month secondment from JCB India’s factory in Pune. He has decided to don the colourful costume for the event’s two-mile fun run course.

Ajay Mahajan (left) and Dhanraj Veer are gearing up for the run
Ajay Mahajan (left) and Dhanraj Veer are gearing up for the run

JCB India colleague Dhanraj Veer, 28, will enter the longer five-mile senior race, but, because of the distance, has sensibly opted to compete wearing more conventional running gear.

A field of up to 400 runners will take their marks for the 34th annual JCB run at 7pm. Like the hugely successful recent JCB Mud Run, the runs will raise money for the NSPCC, JCB’s nominated charity.

Mr Mahajan, who is four months into his secondment with the JCB Hydradig team at JCB Heavy Products in Uttoxeter, said: “I wanted to really enter into the fun spirit of the event so I thought it would be a good idea to wear the cultural clothing of my homeland.”

JCB Loadall engineer Mr Veer, 28, who is 10 months into a year-long secondment at the World HQ from JCB India in Pune, said: "We both took part in the JCB Mud Run earlier this month and that really whet our appetites – we can’t wait to get under way.”

Fancy dress is also the order of the day for race veterans Charlie Bevan and Mick Grindey. The pair have taken part in every race so far and will feature as the famous fairy tale double act Beauty and The Beast.

Mick, 55, of Uttoxeter, will run as “Beauty” while Charles, 70, of Abbots Bromley, will sportingly accompany him as “The Beast”.

JCB Engineer Mr Grindey, who also organises the event, said; “It goes without saying I’m ‘Beauty’ and Charles is ‘The Beast’. Mind you, I’ve never run in a dress before. It certainly will be interesting.”