RUNNERS showed their true colours at the 2019 Weldmar Colour Run in Weymouth.

The atmosphere at Lodmoor Country Park was as bright and cheery as the coloured paints thrown around on the race course.

Ade Willcox from Weymouth stood out in the crowd at the warmup in his full-body technicolour dream leotard. He attended with wife Joan and daughter Skye, aged eight.

"We've raised £300 this year - it's fantastic to be able to help such an important local charity", he said.

The four kilometre course took runners through paint stations and over ten inflatable obstacles.

Gina Hartley, 26, a personal trainer from Weymouth, entered as part of a team of 15.

"We're really excited to try something a little bit different - I've never done a run with obstacles before so it's all a bit of a mystery - and great to support a local charity", she said.

Rachel Dunford, 33, from Dorchester - who works for the event sponsor Magicard - had the fun job of turning the air into a pastel rainbow by hurling colours at participants.

"This is the first paint station of the course, so everyone looks quite clean until they reach us - then they'll be getting extra messy along the way".

Opposite her at the paint station was Megan McCann from Weymouth, who is community events fundraiser at Weldmar.

She said: "We've been planning the event since last year, so it's great to see everyone enjoying the race together."

Breezing through one of the first paint stations were mother and daughter Anne and Alice White. "We're not so 'White' any more", Anne joked when we asked for her name.

"I first did the colour run when I was pregnant with Alice - she's three and a half now."

Lucy Nightingale and colleague Andy both work for Magicard in Weymouth and were quick to cross the finish line.

"We think we came second and third", said Lucy, who is a gig rower.

"But it was more about having fun - it was great to run with a big group of people."

The charity is putting the 'fun' into fundraising again today with its 'Bubble Run', which organisers describe as like being inside a giant washing machine.

Matt Smith, director of fundraising and marketing at Weldmar said there were around 800 people expected to attend on each day.

"We've raised about a quarter of a million since we started the Colour Run five years ago - it's the third year of the Bubble Rush", he said.

"I'm delighted to see so many families here enjoying themselves - it's great to put on an event that brings people together - as well as raising money to help us continue providing care for over 2500 people in Dorset."

To find out more about the charity visit www.weld-hospice.org.uk

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