A SEA of pink flooded Wantage Market Place as hundreds of runners, walkers and cyclists pounded through the streets.

More than 400 adults and children raced 5km or more from Wantage to surrounding villages and back to try to help tackle cancer.

The event was this year’s Ray’s Race for Life, and so far has raised thousands of pounds for Cancer Research UK.

Organiser Ray Collins, who manages Peter Ledbury electricals in Grove Street, Wantage, said he was delighted so many children had taken part on Sunday(APRIL26).

The Springfield Road resident said: “Maybe we have found a new generation of fundraisers coming through.”

Mr Collins, 45, is hoping the race has smashed last year’s fundraising total of £8,000 but his runners and riders are still collecting their cash.

He said: “It was a fantastic day right from the start.

“There is so much negativity around cancer – it is a nice positive day and we get a lot of joy from it.

“I think the atmosphere – the smiles, the fun, the enthusiasm – was as good as last year.”

Racers, who paid £20 to enter, gathered in Wantage Market Place under the statue of King Alfred from 9am on Sunday and chose between 5km, 10km or 20km routes.

Wantage fitness instructor Rosemary Rautenbach led the warm-up before the race and a conga exercise afterwards, and there were fun fair attractions in the Market Place.

One of those taking part was Ray’s uncle Malcolm Collins, who was himself diagnosed with cancer just before Easter.

Despite starting chemotherapy last week for lymphoma, Mr Collins, who also celebrated his 65th birthday on Sunday, walked 5km for the good cause.

He was not told beforehand that he was to be accompanied by a group of his nephew’s friends calling themselves Team Malcolm.

He said: “I was blown away – I had no idea Ray had arranged it and I really enjoyed the day.

“It is important to raise money for research.

“As I was told by my doctors in the hospital, they are finding different medicines each week and should it be charity or Government, they need the funding.”

After he had finished his walk, Mr Collins, of Orchard Way, took on a second charity challenge.

He had his head shaved for Oxford charity Yellow Submarine, which took his disabled daughter Alice, 15, on a holiday recently.

Former colleagues at BMW Mini in Cowley, where Mr Collins worked for 41 years, sponsored him £200 to have his locks lopped.

On Saturday, Richmond Village care home in Letcombe Regis also held a sponsored cycle event to raise more money for Wantage Independent Advice Centre.

Ray Collins thanked everyone who joined in the weekend’s events and said he would definitely be organising the event again next year.