Hundreds of hardy joggers braved the cold and donned their shorts and vests for this year’s Action Heart race.

A crowd of nearly 1,000 runners gathered on the starting line at Dudley’s Russells Hall Hospital early yesterday to help raise cash for the charity.

It was the 18th race staged in Dudley by Action Heart, which regularly raises around £20,000 from the event.

Members of The Black Country Triathletes (BCT) were among those taking part.

For BCT runner Mark Ward-Evans, of Wombourne, it was his first Action Heart run.

He said: “There is about 25 of us who have taken part this year in memory of our former chairman Gavin Tipper who sadly died last year after suffering a heart attack.

He was legendary at the club and at DK Rugby Club and we are all running in his memory.”

Other runners were members of Halesowen Athletic and Cycling Club who had donned rabbit ears for the occasion.

Pam Edwards, of Halesowen, said: “It is a great event for a good cause and we thought we would bring a bit of fun to it by wearing these ears as well because we call ourselves The HARE’s, Halesowen Athletic Resolution Experience.”

Another participant, Cathy Quane, of Wall Heath, was running the race with other members of Dudley Kingswinford Running Club. She said: “It is a good way of keeping fit and meeting up with everyone.”

And “Blind” Dave Heeley was also among the runners out in training for his seven marathons on seven continents challenge.

Ian Rawlinson, of Borders Harriers, finished the race in first place recording a time of 26 minutes and 15-seconds.

Director of Action Heart, Russ Tipson said: “It has been one of our biggest turnouts yet, we had more than 900 people enter and a few more turn up on the day.

“A lot of people were wearing their red ribbbons showing their support for Action Heart and we hope to raise £20,000 for the cardiac rehabilitation programme which has around 700 patients across the Midlands.”