Thousands join fight against cancer at Wolverhampton Race for Life

But one thing united the 2,300 or so women, children – plus one man – who ran around Wolverhampton's West Park last night: a determination to beat cancer.

There was a bumper turnout for the city's Race For Life event, which each year raises hundreds of thousands of pounds for Cancer Research UK.

Hundreds of spectators and well-wishers turned out to lend their support, and the event was boosted by largely dry weather, apart from a few spots of rain at the beginning.

The runners, who were all dressed in pink, were sponsored to complete either a 5km (3.1 mile) or 10km (6.2mile) route around the park and the surrounding roads.

Andrea Childs, who has been taking part in the event for the past seven years, said it was always an emotional time at the start of the race.

"I always well up when they have the minute's silence at the beginning, it's so poignant," said the 48-year-old, who was running the race in memory of her mother-in-law Marlene who died from the illness 14 years ago.

Andrea, who lives in Kingswinford, was part of a nine-strong team who have raised something like £7,000 for Cancer Research UK since they began taking part in the race in 2007.

She revealed that earlier in the day, she had been put on a drip for a kidney infection, and the nurse had told her she should only walk the race.

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Also taking joining her was her friend, 47-year-old Vivian Barnes from Cookley, near Kidderminster, who had lost her aunt Cynthia Evans to the disease shortly before Christmas.

"The Wolverhampton race is the best one," said Vivian.

"We're very proud of ourselves, for what we have achieved," said Andrea, whose 16-year-old daughter Beth was one of seven teenagers who ran the race dressed as cheerleaders.

Also in their group was 16-year-old Mary-Jane Mason, also from Kingswinford, who was running the race in memory of her mother Stephanie who died two years ago from breast cancer.

"She was a very lovely, bubbly person, and I think she would be very proud of what I've done," said Mary-Jane at the end of the race.

Many of the runners wrote a message on a whiteboard at the finishing post, explaining why they had chosen to take part.

Last year, more than 2,200 women took part in the Wolverhampton Race For Life, netting around £130,000, and this year organisers challenged those taking part to go one better and raise £150,000.

The charity, which receives no Government funding, says around 77 people in the West Midlands are diagnosed with cancer every day.