Pretty in pink at Walsall Race for Life

Runners and walkers of all ages and abilities donned their pink shirts, tutus, fairy wings and headbands before tackling either a 5km or 10km route - all to raise money and awareness for charity.

Spokesman for Race for Life Jane Redman said there were about 1,300 people taking part - a 'fantastic' turn out.

Breast cancer survivor Louise Keay, aged 38 and from Willenhall, took part in the race with her 28-year-old niece Stacey Pearce from Bloxwich.

Louise said it was a day of 'mixed emotions' after meeting so many people who have been affected by cancer, either through suffering themselves or seeing a family member of friend battle the disease.

Cheryl Hudson-Smith, aged 53, from Wolverhampton, ran with friends in memory of her dad who died last year and her 49-year-old brother who is currently fighting cancer.

Her son is British track and field sprinter Matthew Hudson-Smith who specialises in the 400 metres and competed in the 2016 Olympics Games.

But the mother decided to speed-walk the event rather than try and run it as fast as her son surely could.

She said: "It's a wonderful event that brings everyone together for the day to show the importance of the fight against cancer.

"It gets very emotional reading what people have written on the backs of their t-shirts, about who they are running for."

It was announced before the race that the Walsall participants had raised £107,000 so far for Cancer Research UK thanks to taking part in the event.