Local Race for Life raises record £17,000 for Cancer Research UK

Organiser Dani Barnett said that 750 runners had enrolled, well over double the number last year, which was the first branded as Our Race for Life locally after the charity said it was unable to organise the event in the island.

About 30 people were also due to run in Sark, where Natalie Tighe had organised the smaller island’s own event.

‘It’s definitely a record year. Our target was £15,000 this year. Last year we raised £10,000,’ said Mrs Barnett.

Runners dressed in pink T-shirts mustered at the KGV playing fields, where the run began, although many people were content to walk most of the way round.

A team of 20 from Suntera Global, a finance company, was among the largest team which entered. The team was organised by Laura Bichard.

‘We normally do it, but not as a company. This year we all decided to take part and the company paid for our registration,’ she said.

Several of the team had relatives or friends who had been affected by cancer.

Before the race, breast cancer sufferer Vanessa Cairns was announced as the event’s fundraiser. She raised £1,512.

Mrs Cairns is currently undergoing treatment, while her mother is being treated for ovarian cancer, and her aunt and grandmother had also suffered from the disease.

She had persuaded a number of friends to join her on the run, including Emma Isabelle and Katy Hodgetts, who took the pink theme to a new level by turning up in inflatable flamingo outfits.

Lynn Cortez, who also took part with a friend, had dyed her hair pink.

‘I’m in remission from cancer myself, so I thought I’d do it,’ she said.

She planned to walk the shorter of the two routes, which was 3km, taking in two laps of the KGV pitch and one of Saumarez Park.

The longer 5km route involved three laps of the pitch and two of the park. Sponsor Bright Electrical has agreed to back the event for another three years. Mrs Barnett said she hoped more people would come forward to help out.