Men went out in morning sun to shake off the stigma of cancer on Sunday.

About 200 men and boys ran a 5km course along the seafront from Hampton to Whitstable and back at the fourth annual Man on the Run event in aid of Cancer Research, the male equivalent of the Race for Life.

Many wore tributes to family members lost to the disease, others came in fancy dress.

The race was conceived by Stephanie Lam, a health professional with the East Kent and Coastal NHS Primary Care Trust and herself a runner.

Her successor in organising the race is Sarah Gower, a health promotion practitioner with the trust.

She said: "The race originally started because there wasn’t an equivalent to the women’s Race for Life.

"It was great to see so many men out raising money and awareness about cancers which affect men.

"And apart from the wind, it was a perfect day."

Anyone who raised more than £40 was entered into a prize draw which was won by James Clifton, who ran the race with his three sons.

They won a £200 voucher for a mountain bike from Downland Cycles in Canterbury.

~For a picture special from the race, see this week's Kentish Gazette, out on Thursday.