More than 250 people got out their running shoes and braved the hilly Midland countryside for the fifth annual Kinver Rotary Club 10k fun run.

Hundreds of pounds was raised by the run, which started and finished at Potters Cross, Kinver, yesterday. The total amount to be donated to charity Action Heart was still being counted today.

Kinver Rotary Club member and organiser Mike Detheridge said the turnout was their biggest to date, with numbers up from 220 last year. “We hope it means that we’ll hit the 300 mark next year,” he said.

“For a 10k run it’s widely recognised as pretty tough, due to the steep hills it goes over. We give the runners a break at the end though – the last half-mile is all downhill.

“It went exceedingly well and it was a really good day all round.”

Among the hardy fun-runners was Dawn Gregory, the daughter of event sponsor Mike Pugh, of BodyKraft.

“I’ve never done it before and my dad roped me in this year – without telling me about the horrendous hills,” said insurance broker Mrs Gregory, aged 42, from Dean Avenue, Kingswinford, who finished in one hour 13 minutes.