500 runners take on Kick Ass challenge at Weston Park

The Kick Ass Endurance race challenged competitors to complete a 10K obstacle course around the estate at Weston under Lizard.

Serious athletes lined up for the event on Saturday, made all the more gruelling by blazing sunshine and soaring temperatures, but they were joined by hundreds of fun runners and families who were out to enjoy the weather at a more leisurely pace.

Many of the entrants donned fancy dress and scores were running in aid of a host of charities while Kick Ass itself was raising money for Help For Heroes and The Georgia Williams Trust.

Organisers hope the race will have raised about £500 which will be divided equally between the two causes.

The first Kick Ass Endurance took place at Weston last October and was such a success even more are in the pipeline. One is to be staged in Buildwas in August and then focus will again turn to Weston this October when there will be a Kick Butts Endurance race for the under-16s.

Organiser Tony Talbot said: "We are hoping to build on the success year on year.

"This is the first time we have run the event in May and we have developed it to be a really good, family event for everyone to enjoy.

"We had people come from all over at the weekend, with runners from just over the border in Cheshire to as far afield as Manchester, Guildford in Surrey and London.

The runners on Saturday set off in three waves according to fitness and the start was heralded by the sound of a fire engine's sirens and smoke from thunder flashes.

A team from the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford was among the field and members were raising money for its stroke unit.

Ann Allsop, from Shawbirch, who works in the stroke unit, said: "I ran in the first Kick Ass last year. I also ran in the London Marathon in 2007 but the Weston event is much more fun."

Ann ran the London Marathon with friend Kirstie Jones, from Apley, who also competed in Kick Ass in 2013, and she said: "I managed to get round last year in one and a half hours and it was fantastic, really good fun."

Helen Ball, a physiotherapist in the stroke unit, was running in Kick Ass for the first time after being recruited by Ann.

All three women are keen runners in their spare time and they were set to raise at least £100 for their cause.

First over the line in the race on Saturday was Drew Wilcox while the first woman home was Fiona Sedgley.