A FANCY dress pram race held in memory of a baby girl who was stillborn is expected to raise thousands of pounds for charity.

Gary and Lisa Bowes, of Trimdon Colliery, near Sedgefield, in County Durham, were heartbroken when their daughter, Darcie Jane, was stillborn in 2012.

Last year the community around them pulled together to support the family and organised a fun day, which included the Push 4 Darcie fancy dress pram race, to raise money for the 4Louis charity.

The £4,655 raised was used to create memory boxes and a cuddle cot - a device that preserves a baby's body, so parents can have more time to grieve.

This year the fancy dress pram race was run again and it was won by Trimdon Colliery duo Adam Setterfield and Brian Harrison, who were dressed as women.

Mr Bowes, of Langdale Oval, and his neighbour, Peter Wilkinson, finished third dressed as the computer characters Mario and Luigi.

Mr Bowes said: “The support from the village has been absolutely fantastic. We have been overwhelmed and we think that even more people turned up for this year’s event.

“We hope to at least match the £4,655 which we raised last year and hopefully we will beat that amount.”

More than 60 entrants pushed 30 prams around a one mile course today (Sunday, June 15) while youngsters were able to join in on a special 200 metre route.

Mr Wilkinson said: “Everything went really well and it was chock-a-block. It’s in aid of a marvellous cause.

“Most of the runners are Trimdon folk but there was also a team from 4Louis.”

There was also a family fun day and the fundraisers also supported the newly formed Trimdon Colliery Albion Football Club through the day.