Thousands join Race for Life in Battersea Park (From Surrey Comet)

Thousands join Race for Life in Battersea Park

10:39am Thursday 8th May 2008 in Wandsworth By Cara Lee

More than 5,600 women were cheered on by celebrities as they took part in Cancer Research's Race for Life yesterday.

Paula Radcliffe, Gloria Hunniford, David Cameron, male cheerleaders and a salsa dancer encouraged the participants as they made their way around Battersea Park.

The 5km run kicked off around 7.30pm.

Jane Bruccoleri, a journalist in our office, took part in the event for the second time last night.

"There was such a good atmosphere," she said. "It was a really warm night and I completed the course in about half an hour, walking and running some of the distance.

"It's a great event with everyone coming together to celebrate people who are surviving cancer and remember the lives that have been lost as a result of the disease."

Since starting in Battersea in 1994, the Race for Life event has grown nationwide into the UK's largest woman-only fundraiser - attracting three million runners and raising more than £200million for Cancer Research in the process.

Watch our video of the Race for Life