GLORIOUS sunshine shone down on Maidstone's Mote Park as 4,000 women took part in this year's Race For Life.

The increasingly popular event, held on Sunday, aims to raise £250,000 for research into cancers that affect women.

For some, the race is a time to celebrate winning a personal battle with cancer. For others, it was a chance to reflect on the good times spent with family and friends whose lives were tragically cut short by the disease.

For every number pinned to the front of the runners there was a unique story and a special reason for taking part. Some had lost friends to cancer just days before the race and others were still undergoing chemotherapy in a bid to beat the disease.

The Maidstone race, which is organised by Cancer Research UK and supported by the Kent Messenger Group, is the largest in the South East and last year raised £246,000.

The race, the eighth to be held in Maidstone, has become so popular that every year the organisers have to turn women away. This year it is hoped that every runner will raise at least £50 and that the event will smash last year's total.

Race organiser Rachel Wicks said: "It all went very smoothly and was absolutely brilliant.

"The atmosphere was amazing and I think the sunshine really helped make it feel almost like a carnival.

"There were families sitting around having picnics afterwards and the whole feeling of the race was one of togetherness. It is such a unique event."

The only slight hitch was that organisers were not allowed to park on Mote Park's rugby pitch as it was waterlogged. This led to the minute's silence and aerobic warm-up, led by teachers Jane Salida, Ruth Hallett and Andi Farrelley from nearby Maidstone Leisure Centre, starting ten minutes behind schedule.

However when the runners did cross the start line at just after 11.10am, a huge cheer went up from families and friends on the sidelines cheering their loved ones on.

It took an hour-and-a-half for all the runners to make it around the course, with the fastest coming in at around the 19-minute mark.

This week's Kent Messenger will be carrying a 12-page picture special on this year's Race For Life, plus the names of all competitors.