HUNDREDS of fun-runners braved wet and wintry weather along Felixstowe seafront yesterday to raise thousands of pounds for charity.

The event, organised by the Rotary Club of Felixstowe, was the 27th annual run held in the town and this year the main charity to benefit will be the Ipswich Head and Neck Cancer Support Group.

But dozens of other local and national charities and groups will see their coffers boosted by money collected by runners.

Running clubs, sports teams and families were all under the starter’s orders at 11am before town mayor Angel Goodwin set them on their way.

One of the youngest runners was four-year-old Daisy Linassi, who was dressed as a ballerina and was running with her dad Ian, mother Samantha and older sister Lucy, five.

Mr Linassi said that as they were starting their second lap of the one-mile route, and running up the steep Bent Hill, Daisy fell over and bumped her knee, ending her race.

He said: “We made it about one and one eighth of the way until we had a slight accident, failing up Bent Hill. But Daisy is fine. My wife is doing it with our other daughter, who is five, so they’re getting on a little better.”

The family were all raising money for St Elizabeth Hospice, while other runners were representing scout groups, dance schools and football teams.

Mark Davis, president of the Rotary Club of Felixstowe, said that with many years of experience behind them, the 40 or so volunteers marshalling the event and registering the runners had done a sterling job.

He also thanked businesses from the town for helping out on the day and the Spa Pavilion, which is used as a central base by the team.