WATCH: 500 runners in fundraiser for Dudley's Russells Hall Hospital heart unit
Hundreds of people braved the cold and the rain to take on a Black Country hospital's five-mile run and walk.
The annual fundraiser for the Action Heart charity saw around 500 runners start and finish at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley.
Money raised from the event will be donated to the hospital's Action Heart Centre, which is based in a purpose-built block at the hospital.
This year's fun run was extra special as it marked the 25th anniversary since it was first held.
The course followed a route of left hand turns, starting out from the hospital site, then heading along the edge of Dudley, down Himley Road, Coopers Bank and Tansey Green Road before returning to the hospital.
Many of the participants included hospital workers, while the course was manned by 40 stewards who have received help from Action Heart.
The charity provides the largest cardiac rehabilitation programme in the country and the money raised during the year pays for heart rate monitors and gym equipment.
Among the runners was Nikki Wilkinson from Coseley. As well as helping Action Heart, the 42-year-old was also raising awareness of autism as her daughter Amy is a sufferer.
She took up running seriously about a year ago and is a member of the Dudley and Kingswinford Running Club. The mother was determined to complete the course in under an hour.
She said: "It was a very hard course but it was well worth it. I stayed with a friend for most of it but I left her near the hospital entrance as I was trying to finish in under an hour."
Nikki managed to reach her target, coming in with a time of just over 58 minutes. She does not plan on resting for too long, with her sights already set on the Dudley and Kingswinford 10k run in September.
Her experiences bringing up her daughter, who is 14, has made her want to spread the word about the effects of autism. Nikki was championing the support charity Autism West Midlands due to the help it has given to her.
