The competition will consist of a treasure hunt in the windows of independent shops across the town.

13 stores will be taking part in the event with visitors having to find a specially placed kapow posters in each the participating shop windows to know who is taking part.

Hidden in the shop windows will be special coloured maps.

Among those taking part are Darcey’s Traditional Sweet Shop, Innes Cole and Red Lion Books.

Those who find all of the posters will be entered into a special draw for a host of prizes.

Among the prizes on offer are tickets to the 5km Kapow obstacle course in September.

The treasure hunt is being held to raise money for the Tom Bowdidge Youth Cancer Foundation which continues the work of Tom Bowdidge who died aged 19 from an extremely rare and aggressive type of cancer.

Before his own death Tom managed to raise more than £170,000 for charity to support other teenage cancer patients.

Nikki Bowdidge, CEO and founder, said: “We are just a few months away from seeing superheroes descend on Castle Park to tackle our amazing obstacle course and we have never been so excited.

“We know we’re not the only ones and really wanted to do something before the big day.

“Colchester is incredibly lucky to have a host of independent traders in the town centre and we wanted to celebrate their diversity.

“So together we have launched our superhero treasure hunt.”

Those wishing to take part will be able to collect maps from the Tom Bowdidge Youth Cancer Foundation in Culver Square on June 23.

On the maps participants will be able to note down where they found the masks before handing it in to the foundation’s stall.

Ms Bowdidge said: “People will have just one day to scour Colchester town centre in the hopes of finding all of the masks.

“But it won’t be easy.

“Each of the shops taking part will have their own coloured mask which they will be hiding in their store.

“People should look out for the balloons and posters as a clue for which shops taking part.

“Shoppers will only be able to find them all by going into each shop or café and looking around.”