Excitement is building as Wulfrunians prepare to Beat the Street once more.

Type=image;ImageID=12148;ImageClass=left;ImageTitle=Beat Boxes will be popping up all over Wolverhampton;TitleClass=strong;

The walking, running and cycling game which took the City by storm last year returns next month - with thousands of people again expected to join in the fun and over £4,000 worth of prizes up for grabs.

The 7 week challenge gets underway on Wednesday 15 March, 2017, with people invited to team up to compete against one another to see who can clock up the most points and miles on foot or bicycle.

Councillor Paul Sweet, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: "Beat the Street was a massive success last year, and excitement is building as we prepare to welcome it back again in a few weeks' time.

"Beat the Street is a fantastic game that everyone, young and old, can play. It gets you out and about, helps improve your health and wellbeing, is great fun and there are some fantastic prizes up for grabs. Best of all it's free.

"If you were one of the 27,000 people in Wolverhampton who played along in 2016, we look forward to you taking part again this year - and if you wondered what all the fuss was about last time around, why not sign up and give it a go?"

Beat the Street takes place from Wednesday 15 March, 2017, until Wednesday 3 May, 2017. People will be able to register to play, and collect their all important Beat the Street game card, from Wednesday 1 March, 2017.

Players collect points and miles by swiping their game card against 2 or more of the 191 special sensors, called Beat Boxes, which will be placed on lampposts across Wolverhampton.

Tapping a Beat Box at the start of the journey, and another at the end, calculates the distance that the player has travelled. This is recorded against the card and added to the player's individual total, their team total and the city's overall score.

Players will be able to monitor their progress by logging on to the Beat the Street Type=links;Linkid=6912;Title=website;Target=_blank; with top scorers in the running for a share of £4,000 worth of great prizes, including vouchers, goody bags, sports and fitness equipment and other prizes.

Game cards, along with a map showing the location of the Beat Boxes, will be available from locations including libraries and leisure centres from 1 March. Many local schools are also expected to take part and will be providing pupils with special fobs so they can play along. People who have still got their cards from last year will be able to re-register them for this year's game.

Beat the Street is being delivered by Intelligent Health on behalf of the City of Wolverhampton Council and Sport England, thanks to funding from the council, Sport England and the National Lottery.

It forms part of a wider 12 month project by Sport England which aims to get Wolverhampton moving, and Beat the Street players will be invited to remain active by taking part in programmes offered by local providers and within the local community.

For more information about Beat the Street, please visit Type=links;Linkid=6912;Title=Beat the Street;Target=_blank;, follow @BTSWolves on Twitter or search 'Beat the Street Wolves' on Facebook.

  •  released: Tuesday 21 February, 2017