THERE were miles of smiles as 2,300 charity runners took part in Blackburn’s Race For Life tonight.

The donation record was smashed with an estimated £143,000 raised at the annual Witton Park event.

Women, girls and even pet dogs joined in the 5km (3.1m) route in a spectacular array of pink-themed outfits in aid of Cancer Research UK.

The first to finish was Elizabeth Greenwood, 12, from Read, with a time of 16m 41s.

The Blackburn Harriers runner said she was taking part in memory of her grandmother, who died several years earlier from cancer.

Second to finish was Katie Trickett, 28, who was one of a team of 17 teachers and assistants from Spring Hill School, Accrington.

She said: “We are all running for a very special lady at school who is battling cancer – but she doesn’t want to be named. We’ve raised £2,000 so far.”

Three-year-old Charlotte Newton, sister Elle, 11, and mum Michelle, 43, together with her sister Helen Sutton, from Brockhall Village, entered in memory of the girls’ grandfather Geoff Newton.

Charlotte never met Geoff as he died from cancer eight years ago.

They also wanted to celebrate their grandmother Patricia Sutton, 63, who beat breast cancer.

Michelle said: “It was fabulous. We were determined to do it in less than an hour and finished in 58 minutes.

“Charlotte just wanted to get her medal. The atmosphere was brilliant and we thoroughly enjoyed it.”

Also competing were mother-and-daughter teams Hannah Duxbury and Amy Barrow and Marianne and Ellen Rintoul.

Hannah, 28, and pal Marianne, 40, were taking part in their third race for life.

Amy, eight, and Ellen, nine, were at their second event.

Hannah said: “Despite the rain there’s been a real buzz around the park.”

Proud grandmother Eileen Uttley was taking part in her third successive race.

This time she was being supported by granddaughter Laura Hind, 14, from Rishton, and her friend Rebecca Lambert, 14, from Simonstone.

Eileen, also from Rishton, said she was running in memory of friends and relatives who had suffered with cancer.

Laura had been so impressed with her grandmother's achievements that she asked to run alongside her at Witton Park.

Laura said: “I want to help raise funds for such a good cause.”

Rebecca added: “I want money raised to go towards helping to find a cure.”

Building site workers from one Darwen family were hard to miss.

Mum Barbara Earnshaw, daughter Sarah Earnshaw and Barbara’s great niece Cheryl Appleton ran with their hard hats and pink high visibility vests on.

They entered ‘just for fun’ and slogged through the muddy course in steel toe-cap boots.

A team from Tesco in Rawtenstall were aiming to raise money for work colleagues who were battling cancer.

Jenny Slater, Karen Creaser, Pat Palmer and Ann Clark had collected in store and thanked manager Pat Byrns for donating.

But several members of staff at Darwen Vale, including acting head of year 7 Adele Walsh, put in the hard yards in memory of a very special former colleague.

They were running in memory of former school head Lynn Dunning, who died of cancer in 2009.

Adele, 38, said: “She was such a big personality in Darwen and worked with a lot of underprivileged children here and abroad.

"The staff have all donated a total of £300 because they remember her fondly.

"She was extremely well thought of.”

Coun Pat McFall said the whole of Blackburn with Darwen Council was behind her bid to complete the run.

The Little Harwood councillor was raising money for Diane Hill, who works in democratic services at the town hall.

So far her friends and colleagues have donated £500 in sponsorship.

The 69-year-old councillor said: “I donate to Cancer Research monthly, but really wanted to take part for Dianne who is in her second battle with cancer.

Click on the link below for a list of all those who took part in Blackburn's Race For Life.