THOUSANDS of runners made their way round the streets of York in the heat and completed the Asda Foundation York 10K this morning.

Now in its 11th year, the popular charity road race started and finished in Knavesmire Road, near York Racecourse.

To make the 10-kilometre event even tougher, runners pounded York's streets in temperatures of around 22C.

More than 6,000 people were expected to enter the race.

First home was Graham Rush with a time of 31mins 20 secs. Cameron Strachan took second place in 31mins 51secs, with Kristian Watson third in 32mins 55secs.

The first woman across the finish line was Lorna Young in 36mins 17secs. Second place went to Sarah Hunter who finished in 38mins 56secs ahead of Georgina Weston who was third in 39mins 23secs.

New to the event this year was the York 10K BHP Corporate Challenge in which firms competed for the title of fastest team in the race. A race within a race, teams who took part in the challenge had to have at least five members with the times of the first three home used to calculate the winners.

After the 10K runners crossed the finish line it was the turn of the youngsters in the Arena Group Mini and Junior Run – 1.5K for children aged between three and eight and a 2.5K route for nine to 14-year-olds.

Among those who took part in the 10K was Stuart Grayson, 58, who used to live in Acomb, but now lives in Florida and has come back to York for the summer.

After completing the race in 54 minutes, he said: "It went better than I was expecting, I've got a dodgy knee. I'm very pleased with the time.

"The atmosphere was great. The people out there were amazing. They were cheering, clapping and playing instruments."

He added: "I'm running in support of St Leonard's Hospice as my dad died there. The care he received was excellent.

"I make my own donation every year at the hospice."

Nicola Sanderson, 42, from Manchester, ran with colleagues from Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in support of the Andy's Man Club charity, which is described as "talking groups for men" and its "overall aim is to halve the number of suicides in men under 45."

She said: "We want to promote awareness of mental health and the importance of exercise for your mental health." The team have raised about £300 for Andy's Man Club, and expect that figure to increase.

Sarah Hocquigny, 34, from Harrogate, was running in aid of the blood cancer charity Bloodwise.

She commented: "A friend of mine had lymphoma, she is cured now. That's why I'm supporting the charity."

A number of the city’s roads were closed or had access restricted during the event.

The York 10K forms part of the legacy of the late Jane Tomlinson who raised nearly £2million for charity by undertaking a series of endurance challenges, despite being diagnosed with incurable cancer.

Many entrants were running in aid of the 10K’s partner charities which are the Jane Tomlinson Appeal, Macmillan Cancer Support, Candlelighters, York Mind, Martin House Children’s Hospice, St Leonard’s Hospice, York Against Cancer, The Island, Changing Lives and Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

CLICK HERE FOR GALLERY OF PICTURES FROM THE RACE