More than 900 Santas take part in charity fun run

Steve Knibbs,Gloucestershire and
Carys Nally,Bristol
News imageBBC Image of people in Santa outfits running through a high-street. BBC
More than 900 people signed up for Gloucester's Santa fun run

More than 900 Santas ran through a city's streets in a record-breaking year for an annual fun run.

Gloucester was filled with red and white on Saturday as runners took part in a 1km or 5km route in aid of local groups and charities.

More than £7,000 was raised - the largest amount since the event was launched by the Rotary Club of Gloucester in 2017.

Matt Cass, who founded Gloucester's Fun Run as part of the Rotary Club, said: "This is Gloucester community, helping Gloucester community."

He added: "How can you not like dressing up like this? There's a woman round here dressed as an inflatable turkey – how brilliant is that?"

All the profits of the run go to the Rotary Club of Gloucester's Charities and the Community Awards.

Lauren Drury, from Gloucester, came to the event dressed as a turkey for her first fun run.

She said she purchased the costume for a hen do and decided to reuse it.

She added her children also took part in the run dressed as the Grinch and Santa.

News imageLauren and her daughter laugh as their picture is taken. Lauren wears an inflatable turkey costume and her daughter wears a yellow onesie with 'the grinch' written on it. Behind them lots of people in santa costumes are stood around in the square.
Ms Drury and her daughter dressed as a turkey and the Grinch for their first Gloucester fun run

Anthony Cox, from Abbeydale, told the BBC he and his running group were raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association.

He said: "[I am] raising money for all the fabulous work they do for myself and my wife who has MND, that I care for on a 24/7 basis.

"They do so much for us emotionally – a shoulder just to listen and talk things through. That you don't feel on your own."

News imageMr Cox smiles into the camera, wearing a MND Association vest over his santa costume. Other people in Santa outfits stand around him.
Mr Cox ran with his running group to raise money for the MND Association
News imageFive people, three dressed as Santa and two as elves, smile into a camera above them on a selfie stick. Behind them more Santa's can be seen dressed up in the square.
Mandy Donadio (centre) told the BBC she was feeling "a bit elf-conscious"

Jamie Campbell, who ran in an inflatable elf costume, said: "I was peer-pressured into this, to tell you the truth.

"I'm just waiting for him to turn up in his outfit – gingerbread man."

News imageMr Campbell and a Mrs Claus smile for the camera pre-run. Mr Campbell is wearing an inflated elf suit and the woman beside him is dressed as Mrs Claus. They are smiling into the camera. Other runners can be seen getting ready behind them.
Mr Campbell and a Mrs Claus smile for the camera pre-run
News imageHundreds of runners dressed in Santa costumes stand ready to run in the middle of a square.
Runners ready for the fun run in Kings Square

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