RUNNERS gathered at Workington’s Calva Bridge last weekend for a parkrun with a difference.

The latest Workington parkrun was a sea of colour as runners raised awareness for the Think Pink Fundraising Group, along with £250 in charity funds.

One participant was Workington Cricket Club’s Malcolm Wood who previously raised funds for West Cumberland Hospital’s cancer ward the Henderson Suite with a Great North Run effort. Malcolm was among the runners who wore pink tutus in support of the charity.

Visitors from Newcastle, Derby and Southport took part in the run, taking the number of participants up to 182.

The cause seemed to be a motivating factor as many runners were pleased with their performance. Kevin Wallace was first male to finish and Lucy Stobbart first female, both hitting personal bests.

Lucy said: “That’s a second on my overall PB.”

After the run, participants took to Workington Cricket Club for coffee and a pink cake sale.

Laura Wylie, runner and Think Pink organiser, said: “It’s been brilliant – we’ve handed out a lot of leaflets and we’ve been giving them out at the finish line. We raised a fantastic £250.”

She said that the special charity run has drawn a crowd: “People who haven’t been for a few months came along.”

The Think Pink Fundraising Group was set up in 2008 by Karen Ritson, a friend of Laura’s. The charity was designed to support cancer care for patients in West Cumbria. Karen died in 2015 after her own battle with the disease but volunteers have carried on fundraising in her memory.

Regular fundraising events are held to support the breast cancer care unit in West Cumberland Hospital. To keep up to date, visit the Think Pink Fundraising Group page on Facebook.