660 celebrate new year with early-morning Shrewsbury Parkrun

Limbering up on the start line and aided by a number of volunteers and marshals, the runners took to the paths of the Quarry to complete the 5k course.

More than 660 runners took part in the early morning dash.

Running his first Parkrun was Jack Williams, 15, who decided to get some early morning fresh air. The run started at the slightly earlier time of 8.30am - the event which is held each Saturday throughout the year come rain or shine normally begins at 9am - but this failed to put of those keen for some early morning activity.

Jack said: "My dad runs Parkrun each week but I can't normally do it as I have a Saturday job. So I thought this was a chance for me to have a go. I got to the front of the crowd on the start line and I had a really good run. I'm not sure what my time was but I am pleased with how it went.

More pictures from the run:

"There was a great buzz and everyone wished each other Happy New Year, which was really nice. I'm really going to try and do this more often this year."

Parkrun began in 2009 and the events are free, weekly, 5km timed runs which are now held all around the world. They are open to everyone, free, and are safe and easy to take part in.

There are 159,476 run globally, with an estimated 2,260,506 runners.

If you were to add together the total hours run it would equate to 1,800 years, 194 days, 17 hours, 48 minutes and 40 seconds.

The total distance run is 164,356,090 kilometres.

The Shrewsbury Parkrun has been held 290 times and over the years there have been 14,548 runners - many of whom return week after week.

The biggest attendance saw 698 runners take on the course which follows the line of the river along Victoria Avenue and then in front of St Chad's Church and past the Quarry Pool.