A whole school went on the run – accompanied by their MP – to continue a tradition of cancer charity fundraising.
Brompton Community Primary School, near Northallerton, is the only primary school in the area to host a full Cancer Research UK Race for Life.
This year’s was the third annual event and contributed to a fundraising total that now tops £4,000.
Every year group took part in the event, along with staff, governors and some parents, with a choice of two, six or 12 laps of the 850metre course, depending on age and fitness.
Judith Mills, who organised the first Race for Life at the school, a mantle now taken on by teacher Chris Armstrong, returned for the event, along with Richmond MP Rishi Sunak, who took part for the second time.
Motivating the runners before the start, he told them: “Scientists are getting really close to finding a medicine that will cure cancer and it’s probably someone of your age that’s going to finally do it for us, which is very exciting.
“You are setting a fantastic example to everybody in North Yorkshire that this is the fastest school in the county.”
Mr Sunak then watched a display by the school’s cheerleading club, Lazer Cheerleading, and joined the warm-up taken by Hannah Cooke, who runs the club, before setting off on three laps of the course with the children, some of whom completed the full ten kilometre distance.
Lennon Goodall was the first boy in key stage one to complete five kilometres, crossing the line in 28 minutes, with Evie Price, the first girl, at 34 minutes.
Archie Cann, from key stage two, completed the ten kilometre course first in 38 minutes, with Beth Swales Williams leading the girls home in 44 minutes.
Around 30 young sports leaders from Northallerton School and Sixth Form College also took part to encourage and support the primary pupils.
Headteacher Jane Byrne said: “The majority of our staff, including myself, have unfortunately been touched by cancer in some way and many of the children were remembering someone on their t-shirts as they ran.
“Race for Life is very much a community event – that’s our name and it’s at the heart of everything that we do as a school. Parents, family members and friends are extremely generous in sponsoring the children, which has allowed us to raise such a fantastic amount over the years, and we are very grateful for their support, and very proud of our children.”