THEY ran in their thousands - young and old, healthy, recovering and dying - women who turned a park pink to try to beat cancer.

The annual Darlington Race for Life yesterday saw 3,000 women, run, jog and walk 5km around the town's South Park in aid of Cancer Research UK.

Many ran in memory of friends and family who have died from cancer - others were cancer sufferers or survivors themselves.

The women ranged from a few months old, to pensioners.

And bringing up the rear were 73-year-old Joan Whittam and 68-year-old Jean Baul, 68, from Hurworth, near Darlington.

Decked out entirely in pink, cancer sufferer Mrs Whittam, said: "Last year at this time, I was having an operation and I said to myself, if I am still here this time next year, I will walk this race."

Mrs Baul said: "I am running for my husband John, who died two months ago and should have been here today."

Eleven members of the Gentlelady Care North Tees Breast Cancer Support Group took part.

Julie O'Neill, 47, from Stockton, said: "We have all had breast cancer and this is the third year we have done the race. Last year we raised over £1,000, this year we are hoping to raise £1,500."

Elza Stevely, 33, from Norton carried eight month old daughter Rona, decked out in a fluffy pink hat around the 5km course, accompanied by grandmother Petro van der Merwe, 65, from South Africa.

Mrs Stevely said: "We are doing this for my aunt Sophia Marais, who has been beating lung cancer for three years. She's marvellous."

Julie Harrison, sister Karen Tweddle and her daughter Emily Tweddle, ten, from Stockton, did the race with dog Bailey.

Susan Stephenson, 57, from Darlington, brought goddaughter May Eastham Haithwaite, aged five. She said: "I'm running for my husband Michael, who has died of cancer."