Thousands of women in the pink at Walsall Race for Life

A field of 2,500 ladies and girls of all ages took part in the five kilometre run at the Arboretum yesterday morning.

It is estimated that the Broadway North event raised a total of £140,000 for Cancer Research.

Among those taking part in the race was Kath Floyd from Perry Barr, whose 40-year-old daughter Ruth Hopson died of cancer in January.

"There's over 30 of us here today taking part," said grandmother-of-five Mrs Floyd.

"There's teachers here from the school where she was a governor - St Margaret's CofE in Great Barr. She was also a teacher at Hall Green in West Bromwich.

"Her sisters, her auntie, her daughter and her niece are all here too.

"Ruth got through breast cancer, but a year later it came back - this time in her spine. It then spread to her liver.

"We first took part in this run in 2010 when she had breast cancer.

"When she died we donated £3,000 to Cancer Research from donations at the funeral."

Another pink-clad woman taking part in the challenge was 51-year-old Alison Blair from Brownhills, who has lost several family members to cancer.

"I've lost three relatives to cancer - two aunts and an uncle," said Miss Blair.

"This is the first time I've ever taken part in the race, but I think I'll certainly be doing it again.

"When you find out that a family member has been diagnosed with cancer it's heart-wrenching. I don't think anyone knows how to react."

Marketing manager for the event, Sarah Southall, said the event 'couldn't have gone better'.

"We had just under 2,500 ladies come today, so we should have raised around £140,000 in sponsorship.

"It was amazing. It's the first Race for Life we've done in the Midlands this year and everybody's had a brilliant time."

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