Macmillan Cancer Support has launched a new series of challenge events involving urban obstacle races.

The charity said it plans to operate a series of 5km and 10km courses including mud and water pits, ramp jumps and rope crawls, which will be known as Adrenaline Rush.

Races will be organised in four different cities – London, Glasgow, Manchester and Bristol – between 30 May and 15 August. Each event will have space for up to 3,000 participants, with 25 per cent of the registration fee - initially £40 and rising to £77 - going to Macmillan.

Participants will also be encouraged to fundraise.

Macmillan said it hoped that Adrenaline Rush would become a flagship event in the future. It said that it had tracked a rise in MOB - “mud, obstacle and beer” – events, which involve a physical challenge but also an element of cooperation and fun, and that it was hoping to take advantage of this market.

“We understand that the market is changing and that people are now looking to combine a physical challenge with something more fun and experiential, as well as the opportunity for ‘bragging rights’,” a spokesman for the charity said.

“Although fundraising is not compulsory, those taking part also have the opportunity to fundraise and every additional pound raised will help us reach more people affected by cancer.”

In 2014, a total of 35,000 people raised £14.3m for Macmillan by participating in a challenge event.