ABOUT 1,500 women, men and children took part in York’s Race For Life today - including a pub team running in memory of a woman who died of cancer last year after running with them in 2019.

The event returned to York's Knavesmire with socially distanced measures in place to keep participants safe after last year’s race was cancelled because of Covid.

Participants set off in sunny weather in groups of 300 at a time in 5K & 10K races, as well as Pretty Muddy, a mud-splattered obstacle course.

Event manager Lauren Robertson said the numbers taking part was down on the normal 3,000 to 4,000 because of the pandemic, but she was just pleased that the event was able to go ahead at all and that about 1,500 runners had been able to take part.

She added that the race was set to raise about £36,000 for Cancer Research UK.

About 15 runners ran as the Swan Slip Sisters through their involvement as staff and customers at two pubs in Clementhorpe, the Slip Inn and Swan Inn.

They said they were taking part in memory of Francine Lansdown, a member of staff at the pubs, who in 2019 was a fit and healthy member of the team which took part in that year's Race for Life to help the battle against cancer.

They said she had then fallen ill and died from cancer last year, aged 36.

Amongst the other runners taking part was Imogen Hardy-Morris, a pupil at Carr Junior School, along with her mum, Charlotte Hardy, and grandma, Christine Hardy.

The family participate every year, having lost an auntie and grandma to cancer, and raised over £200 last year for the charity.

All the money raised today will help scientists find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, saving lives as the charity fights back from the impact of the pandemic.