ABOUT 1,500 women took part in the 5km Race For Life at the Hop Farm Country Park at Beltring, near Paddock Wood, on Sunday.

It was the first time the event had been staged at the popular West Kent venue.

The first runner over the line, Clare Lodwig, from Sidcup, came in in an impressive 20 minutes.

Liz Cummings, from organisers Cancer Research UK, said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the results. It's just been fantastic and we can’t wait to do it again.

Race For Life events take place around the country annually, raising millions of pounds for research into cancers that affect women.

On Sunday, the women taking part in the Paddock Wood race, which should raise £46,000 for the charity, were joined by another 46,000 women in other Race For Life events across the UK. This year, organisers hope to raise £23m nationally from the event, which first took place in Battersea Park, London, in 1994.

National sponsors Tesco had a strong pink-T-shirted contingent at the Paddock Wood race, with teams entering from stores in Riverhead, near Sevenoaks, Paddock Wood, Pembury, and Tunbridge Wells.

Ms Cummings added: “Every single woman who takes part in and raises funds through Race For Life makes an invaluable contribution to the fight against cancer."