Amateur athletes were bright as Buttons as they were joined by a pantomime star for Durham Park Run.
With the Gala Theatre’s Cinderella half way through its run its cast must dig deep ahead of the more than 20 performances still to come.
But showing he has the stamina for the weeks ahead, writer, director and actor Paul Hartley pulled on his trainers and dashing blue Buttons costume to start the 5km course at Maiden Castle.
Cinderella, which Paul wrote and directed alongside Neil Armstrong, has been praised by audiences and critics alike, with many performances sold out over the Christmas period.
The show runs until Sunday 3 January. Tickets, priced from £8, are still available – with the best availability for performances on the final weekend. For more information call the Gala Box Office on 03000 266 600, or visit the website, www.galadurham.co.uk.