Carol Vorderman leads countdown to start of the Bristol Run for the Future
Maths mastermind Carol Vorderman led the countdown to start 1,000 people on their way around the Downs for this year's Run for the Future.
Organised by Bristol Rotarians, record numbers of men, women, children and even dogs raced 5km around the Downs to raise funds for the Bristol Urological Institute's (BUI) Prostate Cancer Appeal.
Lord Mayor Chris Davies blasted a horn to start the runners, many of whom were wearing tributes to fathers, grandfathers, uncles and friends who had been affected by the disease.
He said: "This is a fantastic effort by the organisers, runners and stewards. On behalf of prostate cancer sufferers now and in the future, I'd like to thank all the runners for the funds they raise.
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Ms Vorderman said: "My mum has had two forms of cancer, ovarian cancer and then kidney cancer, and both of those were caught in the very early stages, so I'm very aware of how getting tested early on can help save lives.
"Women have smear tests and so why shouldn't men be tested for this? It's been a fantastic day and there is a great atmosphere here."
Olympic runner Nick Rose was first around the course. He said: "I'm here to support prostate cancer and if running a race can do that then that's great. In the last three years this event has enabled more and more research to be done.
"The Bristol Rotary club do a great job of raising awareness for this very worthy cause."
Mr Rose was closely followed by Simon Prior, 40, and his son Luke, 11, from Burnham-on-Sea, and Victoria Kenny, 14, the first female around the course.
Wearing orange tutus Lucie Pillinger, 27, from Whitchurch, and Heidi Waldron, 27, from Stockwood, said they were thrilled to finish the race.
Ms Pillinger said: "I'm running for my Dad who has prostate cancer, this is the second time we've run and Heidi is four months pregnant so she's done brilliantly. It's been a great day and between us we've raised over £350."
Among the supporters at the event was David Gillatt, director of BUI, who collapsed on the course last year with a heart attack.
He said: "I've been banned from taking part by my wife and daughter, otherwise I'd be running. I see where the funding for this goes and it will help create better tests to identify prostate cancer and help research and treatment in Bristol."
Organiser Martina Peattie said the event had raised £130,000 in the last three years it has been running.
She said: "This is almost twice the number of people taking part than we had last year, it's fantastic really. We've had lovely weather, it's been a great day.
"As many men die from prostate cancer as women from breast cancer, but men don't tend to raise awareness like women can.
"We started this four years ago after members of our rotary club died mainly through ignorance of the disease.
"We want to raise awareness and let people know they can go and have a test. We're also really pleased to see some Afro Caribbean teams here today, as research has shown they are actually three times more likely to develop the disease."
For a full list of entrants in this year's Run for the Future see today's Evening Post newspaper.
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