Thousands of runners take part in Stafford Half Marathon

Thousands of runners signed up for the event in the Spring sunshine

More than 3,000 runners have taken part in an annual half marathon.

The Stafford Half Marathon returned to its original date after the 2021 event was held in September due to the pandemic.

It was the 39th year of the run and saw participants take on a 13.1-mile (21km) route, which started and finished in Market Square.

Race director, Liz Hulse, said they like to hold the race in March at the start of the running calendar.

The race started and finished in Market Square in Stafford

She said she was "so exited" to see the race's return.

"It is a kind-of feeder race for people training up to do a full marathon," she said.

"It is a great time of year to have it."

Among those taking part was Dougal Campbell, who was running dressed as Elmo to raise money for a Motor Neurone Disease charity.

Mr Campbell, from Wiltshire, who was taking on his 84th race, said he was running the Stafford event because he used to care for a woman who lived in the town.

"People say, 'Do you get hot?', but then again when you think about it, I recover, people with Motor Neurone Disease don't," he said.

Rebecca Harrison, from the City of Stoke Athletics Club, won the women's race, while Cole Gibbens, from Kent, was the men's winner.

Ms Harrison said she was "over the moon" to place first.