Nos Galan: Sports stars unveiled as race's mystery runners

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Colin Charvis and Nathan CleverlyImage source, Rhondda Cynon Taf council
Image caption,

Colin Charvis and Nathan Cleverly joined hundreds of runners at the race

Former world champion boxer Nathan Cleverly and ex-Wales rugby captain Colin Charvis were the mystery runners at an annual New Year's Eve race.

Hundreds of people took part in the 59th Nos Galan, external event in Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taff.

It is run in memory of legendary runner Guto Nyth Bran and each year a well known sports person is revealed as the event's mystery runner.

Wales manager Chris Coleman took part last year.

Rugby legend Shane Williams, Olympic sprint champion Linford Christie, external and Olympic gold medal winning cyclist Nicole Cooke were also previous celebrity guests.

Two-time light-heavyweight world champion Cleverly and Charvis, a British and Irish Lions international, attended a memorial service at St Gwynno's Church on Sunday afternoon and laid a wreath at the grave of Bran, who died in 1737.

They were in Mountain Ash to light a beacon on Sunday evening.

Image caption,

Chris Coleman was last year's mystery runner at the Nos Galan race

The main 'elite' race was run across a 3.1 mile (5km) course around the town, while there was also a series of fun runs for children and adults throughout the evening.

The race was founded in 1958 by Bernard Baldwin, who died aged 91 in January.