RUNNERS of all abilities took to a Taunton park to raise money for charity.

Participants headed to Longrun Meadow to tackle Race for Life 2017, which kicked off at Bridgwater and Taunton College.

Hundreds of people walked, jogged or ran the 5km track to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

The race started at 11am on Sunday, July 16.

Brenda Scott, Cancer Research UK’s South West Events Manager, said: “Life-saving research is being funded right now thanks to the women of Taunton running, jogging or walking at Race for Life.

“Our participants play a crucial role in helping to turn discoveries made in the lab into better treatments for patients in Taunton and across the UK and we’d like to thank everyone who took part in the event on Sunday.

“The atmosphere on the day was electric - full of emotion, courage, tears and laughter - as hundreds of like-minded ladies came together to unite in the fight against cancer. Now we’re asking everyone who took part, and all the friends, family and colleagues who pledged to sponsor them, to return the money they’ve raised as soon as possible. 

“Many people don’t realise that their entry fee only covers the cost of the event. It’s the sponsorship money that really makes a difference. Money raised - whether it’s £10 or £100 - will help Cancer Research UK scientists find new ways to treat cancer and save more lives.”

Dr Áine McCarthy, Cancer Research UK’s Senior Science Communications Officer, said: “We want to see people with every type of cancer, including those that are hard to treat, have the best chance of surviving their disease and living a long, healthy life afterwards. The advances we've made since Race for Life started in 1994 show we are moving in the right direction.  

“Thanks to new treatments and improvements in early diagnosis, more people are surviving cancer today than ever before. But too many lives are still lost. There are hundreds of types of cancer and we need continued investment in research to help us find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat them all.

“That’s why we need everyone who took part in Race for Life in Taunton to take the vital last step by returning their sponsorship money so that our scientists, doctors and nurses can continue to make vital strides forward in research.”

Sponsorship money can be paid in online, by phone, by cheque or in person at a Cancer Research UK shop.

For information on returning sponsorship money, or to make a donation, visit www.raceforlife.org