Hundreds of women ran routes around Kingston Maurward park on Sunday, helping to raise tens of thousands of pounds for cancer research at the annual Dorchester Race for Life.

Holly Harris was the first adult to cross the line in the 5-kilometre race, though she was beaten to it by a couple of school-age boys. She told the Echo that she felt 'extremely proud', and was full of praise for the event.

"The whole support is great," she said, noting that the choirs and musicians set up to play runners along the route were 'really motivational'.

Holly was running the race for the several people in her life hit by cancer, including her father, who died in 2010 of prostate cancer, and her uncle, currently suffering the same disease. "We all know someone affected by it," she said, adding that she and her husband - a member of staff at Kingston Maurward - would be running the Dorchester Marathon the following week.

Joanne Dandy, meanwhile, had travelled from Langford in Somerset with her friend Helen Smith and Helen's three daughters to take part in the race. For all of them it was the first 5k run, and they said they had 'a real sense of achievement' in the afterglow of the run.

"The atmosphere is so good here," Joanna Dandy said, while Helen noted that the race had been 'tough', but that running it was important to her and her daughters. "Cancer can affect anyone," she said.

Elaine revealed that between the four of them they had raised some £300 for cancer research. "It's such a great charity," she said, adding that her godmother Gillian's current endurance of the disease had lent motivation to her and her daughter.

Rosie Dorontic and Sarah Pawson, meanwhile, said they were running the race for a number of friends and relatives affected by cancer - including one who had died that very morning. The pair, from Warmwell, said the venue and the atmosphere were 'so lovely'.

Brenda Scott, who managed the event for Race for Life, said the day had been 'brilliant' - and that the 750 runners had between them raised just shy of £50,000, an increase on previous years' totals.

"We rejigged the route and had such great feedback," Brenda said, adding that she'd like to thank the 50 volunteers who helped out, as well as the runners, and Kingston Maurward.

"We heard so many emotional stories," she said. "It's so great to see the community of women come together like this."

See Tuesday's Dorset Echo for a full spread of photos from Sunday's sunny Race for Life.