PICTURES & VIDEO: Sandwell a sea of red and white for Santa Dash

The campaign launched by Sandwell Leisure Trust and Mytime Active, with help from Mayor councillor Barbara Price, was a huge success and will become a regular feature in the run up to Christmas in the area.

For £4, participants who signed up had the choice of walk, jogging, or gently strolling 2km around Sandwell Valley Country Park.

The event started with a mass Christmas-themed warmup to get everyone in the festive spirit before things were kicked off around 10am by local legend Blind Dave Healey, who started the mass dash.

Mytime Active regional manager for health, Mary Fairfield, said: "It's a fantastic occasion and great thing to be happening for the first time in Sandwell. What a scene it was to just see hundreds of red dots spread all over the field, it's not every day something like this happens and its gets everyone in the festive spirit.

"Behind all the fun and games we are encouraging everyone in the area to become more active and hopefully with events like this, people will start to think and do more.

"Young and old have joined in and it really is lovely to see everyone having such fun together. It was not a serious race at all and I hope all that were involved thoroughly enjoyed themselves and took in the atmosphere of the day."

Mytime Active has organised the event, supported by Sandwell Leisure Trust and Sandwell Council, as a fun way for Sandwell residents of all ages to get active and enjoy themselves at Christmas.

Graham and Sue Smith, aged 55 and 60, along with friends Lisa and Andy Willetts, aged 51 and 57, all from Oldbury, thought the newly formed event was a great occasion and and stayed in their costumes for the rest of the day.

Graham said: "We've been very excited for it, it's something everyone can cheer about. That 2km was probably the most exercise I've done in 20 years, but we all rewarded ourselves after with a few pints down the pub, still dressed as Santa of course."