CWMBRAN was awash with Santas at the weekend as hundreds of festive fundraisers took part in a charity fun run.

The annual St David's Foundation Hospice Santa fun run came to Croesyceiliog on Saturday as jolly joggers did a 5km loop of the town's North South fields to raise money for the charity.

Despite a biting chill in the air, around 220 fun runners donned their Santa outfits and ran, walked and ambled around the course at varying speeds in the name of charity.

The runners set off at 10.30am as people of all ages donned the famous red garb and one or two runners even brought along their four-legged friends to join them on the circuit.

Jon Macmillan, 37, from Greenmeadow said he was doing the run after his mother-in-law, Monica James, who was cared for at St Anne's died from breast cancer in February.

"I wanted to do this in her memory, it's a poignant time - she got her last Christmas at home with us."

Sian Rees, 27, from Caerleon, who coaches the Newport Gwent Dragons cheerleaders, was running along with some of the cheerleaders.

She got involved after her best friend, Jonathan Connick, died from a brain tumour aged 29. Suzanne Williams, 50, from Llantarnam ran with a group of friends to raise money for what she described as a "great cause"

Chief executive of St David's, Emma Saysell, said: "We're thrilled people have come down and supported us on this cold winter's day - it's fantastic.'

* St David's is also holding a Santa fun run in Tredegar Park, Newport, on Saturday at 10.30am. People can enter or register on the day. Visit www.stdavidsfoundation.co.uk or call 01633 271364 for more information.