Round-the-clock relay to raise cancer cash – and awareness

Cancer survivors and fundraisers will walk, jog, or run laps around an athletics track as part of a 24-hour event to raise funds for research into the disease.

The Relay for Life event will start on July 4 and dozens of people will take part to celebrate the strides that have been made in battling cancer.

A total of 17 teams have already signed up to lap the 400m track at Yate Outdoor Sports Complex throughout the 24 hours.

There will be fun laps where participants are expected to adopt fancy dress or walk backwards, but there will also be sessions dedicated to people who have battled cancer.

At nightfall a candlelit hope ceremony will take place.

Similar events have been held in the Bristol area for the past five years but the Yate relay is the only one taking place this year.

Among the groups taking part this year are The Rookies, a team of employees from Capita taking part in memory of their colleague Joe Rook who died in December.

There will be raffles on the day to raise money for Cancer Research UK and the Red Arrows will be flying past the sports complex on the Saturday afternoon.

One of the organisers, Tina Nolan, 52, of Horfield, said: "There is no one that is not affected in some way by cancer.

"Survivors take part in the opening lap and always get the biggest cheer.

"The Relay for Life has grown over the last five years and we hope that it will eventually become as big as Race for Life."

Becky Bricknell-King, 36, of Ashley Down, said: "Relay for Life is such a great community event. Everybody from children to elderly and disabled people take part and there will be lots of things for families to do on the day.

Lara Simmons, 27, of Cotham, chairwoman of the organising committee, said: "It is a nice family day out. Everyone takes out their deck chairs and there is also a bit of dancing."