WHETHER inspired by Davina McCall's gruelling Sport Relief challenge to run, swim and cycle her way from Edinburgh to London or watching Alan Shearer and Robbie Savage in their battle of the backsides to see who could plonk themselves on 45,000 seats around Wembley Stadium first, this weekend we mere mortals can join the action.

The Sainsbury's Sport Relief Games get under way on Friday with more than 1000 events being held across the UK to help raise money for disadvantaged people here and in some of the world's poorest countries.

There will be three days of Swimathon action with a choice of 1.5km (60 lengths of a 25-metre pool), 2.5km (100 lengths of a 25-metre pool) and 5km (200 lengths of a 25-metre pool). The sportrelief.com website has a list of pools around Scotland where people can get involved.

Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Glasgow, which will host the Commonwealth Games this summer, is among those that will be used and the BBC plans to broadcast live as participants clock up the laps.

Glasgow is one of three cities, alongside London and Manchester, to play host to the Sport Relief Cycle offering 25 or 50-mile routes on open roads starting from the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome on Sunday.

The cycle event also includes a three-mile family ride around Tollcross Park in Glasgow's east end, which will be the finishing point for the longer distances.

Those who feel steadier on two feet than two wheels can pull on their trainers with the option to run one, three or six miles. Among the locations hosting the Sport Relief Mile, which will be held on Sunday, are Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow.

Friday will see the BBC broadcast an evening of entertainment for Sport Relief, including an Only Fools And Horses sketch that will see David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst reunite for the first episode of the comedy series in 11 years. Joining them in Peckham will be footballer David Beckham.

Pop band Little Mix have released a cover version of 80s soul-funk anthem, Word Up!, as the official Sport Relief single, roping in a host of celebrity cameos for the video, including Olympic medallists Louis Smith and Victoria Pendleton, choreographer and former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips and pop singer Melanie Chisholm, better known as Sporty Spice.

Red Dwarf star Chris Barrie, meanwhile, has reprised his role as disaster-prone sport centre manager Gordon Brittas for the hilarious clip.

l Sainsbury's Sport Relief Games take place from March 21-23. A full list of events and venues can be found on the website: sportrelief.com