ORGANISERS of a fundraising charity run were delighted when more participants than ever took part in the annual event.
More than 130 people took part the Cotherstone 5k and 10k runs at Doe Park Caravan Site, near Cotherstone, to raise funds for the Great North Air Ambulance Service and Pancreatic Cancer UK.
Organiser Peter Kirkman said: “We’re really pleased the entries are slightly up on last year. We had 131 adults and 32 kids. It’s about ten per cent up and it’s great word is spreading of our event.
“We couldn’t do this without the support of Stephen and Alison Lamb, who so kindly let us use Doe Park, and to the many volunteers who help before and during the event.”
Fellow organiser Robert Taff Johnson said: “The decision to rejig the finish line so spectators can cheer finishers home has worked really well and we’re really pleased with that.
“We’ve had some brilliant feedback from participants about how friendly, hospitable and inclusive the event was with a challenging route but great scenery.”
He added: “From my perspective it is a great family day out raising money for two very good causes and we would like to say a great big thank you to everyone, participants, spectators and volunteers, who made the event such a success.”
Darlington Harrier Michael Harcourt was the first runner home and won the men’s 10k run in a time of 41.31mins to take the Robert and Julie Gill Trophy.
He said: “It’s the first time I’ve done the race and it’s a tough course but great scenery.
“I’d heard about it a few days before but only decided to take part when I got up this morning.”
Female winner Dawn Richardson was slightly disappointed she was unable to repeat her success of last year when she won outright, after taking a tumble in a ditch, but was still delighted to win the Fox and Hounds Trophy in the 10k
Jack Wheeler, 14, sped round the 5k course, even managing to jump across the finish line tape to win the Pam Kirkman Memorial Trophy.
Cotherstone’s own Tamsin Coulson won the Tina Martin Memorial Trophy as the first female across the line in the 5K.
Connor Waite took the Ella Trend trophy for the second year in a row in the U15s one kilometre run.
