THOUSANDS of runners flocked to a packed Worcester Racecourse over the weekend to raise money for Cancer Research.

The Race for Life extravaganza included an obstacle course run on Saturday and another 5km and 10km run yesterday, raising an estimated £110,000.

Around 2,000 runners took part in yesterday’s run and hundreds ended up coated in mud after Saturday’s 5km Pretty Muddy event.

Many of the women taking part in the races over the weekend had stories to share about their emotional experiences with cancer.

Tina Young, from Stourbridge, took part in Saturday’s race, ahead of a third phase of chemotherapy for ovarian cancer.

Ms Young, 50, said: “This is my third attempt to do the race, I was diagnosed in 2013 and for the last two occasions I was having chemotherapy.”

Ms Young ran the race with her family and said she had fantastic fun, finding the experience inspiring.

Louise Meeson, 44, from Droitwich, said: “I was diagnosed with breast cancer on January 20 last year but I’ve overcome it, now I want to raise awareness.

“I luckily caught mine early and now I’m here to raise money for cancer research because if it wasn’t for that I would not have had the treatment.”

Jan Miller-weir, one of several friends racing alongside Ms Meeson, said: “I’m here because of my good friend who’s beaten cancer and also because my mum and dad died from cancer.

“My mum died from breast cancer in 1980 when I was 17. It was horrendous in those days as there wasn’t a lot help for families.

“We didn’t know lots about it back then but this sort of thing has enabled progression and has raised awareness.”

Ms Miller-Weir’s father died from bowel cancer two years ago.

Kelly Rumble, the Worcester Race for Life event manager, said: “The money raised will go toward tackling 200 types of cancer. All our fund raising goes to scientists looking for a cure.”

A minute’s silence was held before yesterday’s race started, in memory of those who had died from cancer.

Pictures by John Anyon