THE perennially popular Cwmbran Race For Life once again proved itself again today to be a top fundraiser to help the battle to beat cancer.

Around 2,000 people turned up to tackle the course, over five kilometres, at the town’s Northfields recreation ground.

Overcast skies and bouts of heavy drizzle could not put off women and children who came from across Gwent and beyond, to run or walk the course in memory of a relative or a friend who is fighting cancer, or who has survived the disease or died as a result of it.

As always, pink was the dominant colour of the day, with participants decked out in pink running gear.

Whether running as an individual, with a friend or relative, or as part of a team, participants took strength from the encouragement of others, or were carried along by the memory of those in whose name or memory they were running.

Those names were proudly displayed on the labels fixed to the backs of their running tops.

It is estimated that the Cwmbran Race For Life is set to raise around £85,000 this year for the charity Cancer Research UK, and prior to setting off - following a mass warm-up session - participants were urged to make sure they collect all their sponsorship money.

Then the race was off, and within a couple of minutes, a snaking line of pink Race For Lifers was to be seen right across the recreation ground.

Some were accompanied by their young sons and daughters, others had their dogs with them, some of which were decked out in pink too.

The Cwmbran Race For Life is one of almost 300 such events that are taking place around the UK this year, in all involving tens of thousands of women, and set to raise millions of pounds to fund Cancer Research UK’s work in researching into ways of preventing, diagnosing, and treating cancer.