WEYMOUTH’s 10-mile race celebrated its golden anniversary with double the number of entries.

The event was held for the 50th time with a new record set by the winner in front of previous runners from as far back as the first race back in 1962.

Race director Michael Wilkinson, of current organisers Egdon Heath Harriers, said it had been ‘a golden day with the golden sun on Weymouth’s golden beach for the golden anniversary’.

He said: “We couldn’t have asked for a better day.

“We’re obviously very pleased with the turnout and a big thank you goes to Weymouth St Paul’s Harriers for running the race for over 40 years.

“Hopefully it will go on from strength to strength if we can keep getting people involved in running or joining a club.”

The 409 entrants headed off from the Pavilion with the four-mile fun runners turning back at Overcombe Corner.

The 10-mile runners carried on up over Bowleaze and through the Waterside Holiday Park before heading back along Preston Beach Road.

They then ran in a loop back around Bowleaze and the holiday park before running back to the Pavilion to complete the 10 miles.

Winner Williard Chinhanhu, 37, from Poole Harriers, broke the existing 54 minutes and 45 seconds record with a time of 53 minutes and one second. He said: “I’ll come back next year and try to break the record again.”

Ian Habgood, from Winterbourne Abbas, had won for the last two years and came in second with his new best time for the course.

The 27-year-old said: “The last two miles were against the wind so they were the toughest by far. It makes it special being 50 years.”

The British Heart Foundation was chosen as the charity for this year’s charity fun run as it too is celebrating 50 years.

The four-mile run was won by Henry Ward, 12, from Sherborne, who said he enjoyed his first race running with his dad Peter and mum Annabel.

Isabel Watkins, aged 10, from Bothenhampton, came second.

She said: “I was first last year and in front for a lot of the way. I got out of breath and had a bad stitch.”

Brian Dunn, of Goldcroft Avenue, ran the first race in 1962 and enjoyed watching on Saturday.

He said: “It’s good to see it reach 50 years. When I started running kids used to shout at you when you ran down the road training because it was so unusual. But now everyone realises how good it is for you and I think I’ve felt the benefits.”