The annual Chase the Pudding event took place on Weymouth Beach over the weekend and once again proved to be immensely popular.

Hundreds of people braved the cold weather in their Santa suits and elf costumes to take part in the festive fundraiser.

Fitness trainer Gina Hartley lead the Santas through a warm up and ‘Santa Stretch’ before Gill Taylor, Mayor of Weymouth and Portland, started the five-kilometre race along Weymouth Beach.

This was followed five minutes later by the children’s event, Chase the Elf, which is growing in popularity each year.

Over £2,000 was raised by the event for the Will Mackaness Trust, a local charity set up in 2008 that gives the young people of Weymouth and Portland the opportunities to take part in water sport activities like kayaking and windsurfing.

The pudding was caught by Andrew Dumbrell, who now earns the privileged position of being the pudding at next year’s event.

In the children’s equivalent of the main event, Finn Sanderson was the fastest to catch the elf.

Pam Govier, Director of the Will Mackaness Trust, said: “It was a wonderful spectacle with over 200 hundred Santas chasing after this year's Pudding along the beach to the stones at Greenhill and back to the Pavilion to receive their pudding.

“We managed to raise over £2,000 which will help us support the youngsters of Weymouth and Portland take part in windsurfing and stand up paddle boarding at the Official Test Centre, sailing at the Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre and help us to provide swimming lessons at both the Weymouth and Osprey swimming pools.

“We were so incredibly lucky with the weather, there was a fantastic atmosphere with Ed Hinzte playing Christmas songs in the Weymouth Pavilion while people registered and this wonderful atmosphere was transferred to the beach where some members of this year's pantomime cast were getting everyone into a festive mood.”

To donate to the Will Mackaness Trust, or to find out more about all of the work that they do, visit their website http://www.willmackanesstrust.org.uk/