GALLERY: Runners in the pink at Himley's Race for Life

Hundreds of fundraising heroes flocked to the beauty spot on yesterday morning.

This year men were allowed to take part for the first time. And some runners had heartfelt messages of loved ones pinned to their tops.

The cash raised will go to funding vital research for a cure on cancer, which claims the lives of 164,000 people each year in the United Kingdom.

GALLERY: Women...and men are pretty in pink

More than 1,600 people took to the starting line ahead of the race, which began at 11am.

There was a friendly and buzzing atmosphere ahead of the start. Some people even made a day out of it with picnics held in the warm sunshine.

The race began near to the 17th-century Himley House and the course took participants on a routes overlooking the picturesque grounds and lake.

At the finish line, there was a brave seven-year-old girl called Rosie Byrne, who was given the important task of handing out medals. Rosie is a cancer survivor and has been in remission for two years.

She was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia – a form of cancer which affects white blood cells – on her third birthday. She fought off the disease and has been in remission for the past two years.

Rosie was with fellow Beavers from the First Finchfield Scout Group, of Wolverhampton, to greet people at the finish.

Her mother Jenny, aged 39 from Penn, said: “I am so proud of Rosie. She was diagnosed on her third birthday and had three years of treatment.”

There were many touching stories in the crowd. Some runners had heartfelt messages pinned to their tops with the names of loved ones who are no longer here.

One of them was 11-year-old Maddyson Robinson. Her handwritten message encouraged people with with cancer “not to give up” up the fight.

It brought a tear to her mother Natalie’s eye. The message read: “I may only be 11 but I am impacted the same way we all grieve and we can all get through this. I have lost treasured people in my life and I want to stop this.

“If you are struggling just know that giving up is never the way. Never give up.”

Both of Maddyson’s grandfathers had cancer. It is a big issue in the family.

Natalie Robinson, 41, from Hartlebury, said: “My sister had cancer. Our dad had cancer. Her [Maddyson’s] other grandad had cancer. And our five aunties and uncles have had cancer.”

At the race, they were joined by Natalie’s sister, Alison Henderson, 54, from Kidderminster, and Pauline Jeffries, 65 from Kidderminster, who is Pauline’s friend. The group raised £600 for charity between them.

Charity bosses from Cancer Research UK thanked them and all the other fundraisers for their fantastic efforts in raising much-needed cash.

Paula Young, spokeswoman for Cancer Research UK in the West Midlands, said: “We’d like to thank everyone who took part today as well as all our amazing volunteers, without whom the event just wouldn’t happen.

“The day was full of courage and emotion, tears and laughter as thousands of men, women and children joined forces.

“Money raised through Race for Life helps Cancer Research UK scientists find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease. Last year Cancer Research UK spent over £10 million on research in the West Midlands region so every penny raised really does make a difference.”

A special mother

This was a special race for Melanie Jordan who was running in the memory of her mother Gail Jones, who died 20 years ago. Gail endured a three year battle with the disease before she lost her life aged 45. She had breast cancer which spread to her bones.

Ms Jordan, from Kingswinford, who is now also 45, wishes her mother was still alive today to meet her son. But that heartbreaking loss spurred her on to take to the starting line.

She said: “I think it is important to keep her memory alive.

“I was 25 when I lost her. It is quite harsh. I have had a child since then and he has never met her. I had my son at 40, so that makes it all the more poignant.

“I’m running today because I think it is really important for her memory.

“I have also got other friends that have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Her fundraising target was £100. And while aiming to raise vital funds for cancer research, she was impressed with the atmosphere at Himley Hall.

Real family affair

This was a family affair for Julia Jones. She was joined at the starting line with her husband Phillip and son Luke.

Mrs Jones is no stranger to running – but was delighted to have her husband and son at her side on this occasion.

She was running in the memory of her mother Margaret Cartwright, who died 15 years ago from breast cancer.

This was Mrs Jones’ seventh time running in the event and she set a fundraising target of £200.

She said: “My mom died of stomach cancer and melanoma 15 years ago. So I have always ran. I mean, I have been running it for seven years.

“My fundraising target is only quite small. We are running as like the company because Phillip’s a director. It is a family business and it is all family.

“We have got between us probably £200 this year.

“When you have to keep asking for different things, I say me and my son have done quite a few runs.

“We tend to do a lot for Mary Stevens Hospice because that is who looked after my mom so.”

Tribute to friend

When Anita Smith stepped onto the starting line, she still had fresh memories of her friend Maria Tandy. That was who she was raising in memory of after Maria sadly passed away only four months ago.

That was the month she passed away.

Anita, aged 51 from Dudley, was joined by two of her friends who are also work colleagues at the race. Between them they raised £300 for charity.

Anita said: “The cancer started off in her back and that was the secondary cancer.

“They couldn’t find the primary cancer until I think she got diagnosed at first with the back one in September, and then at the beginning of March they found the primary one in her bowel.

“I felt that was an important cause for me to be here today.

“I only put up a fundraising target of £100, but between the three of us we have raised £300.

“I am here with two friends, I work with them as well.”