MORE than 2,500 women completed a three mile course in St Albans' Verulamium Park on Sunday to raise thousands of pounds for cancer research.

All ages and abilities ran or walked the two laps round the park and lake in the Race For Life held in aid of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund.

Office manager Alison Fitch, 31, from North Mymms, who raised £140, said: "It was very moving to be running with so many people, who had all lost friends or had cancer themselves.

"Some people got dressed up there were St Trinians schoolgirls, doctors and nurses, and people wearing wings.

"One girl who ran past me had a shaved head. She had just had chemotherapy, and was celebrating being alive. The one who came in first only took 17 or 18 minutes, which is very fast."

Ms Catherine Thompson of Community Leisure helped organise the event and ran herself.

She said: "We are extremely grateful to all the people who volunteered as marshals. The target was £100,000, and it looks as if we are going to smash that."

Entrants paid an administration fee and had a sponsorship target of £30 each for the Race for Life event, one of a series of 71 held across the country.