NO amount of blustery weather could put off the hundreds of runners who had turned out for a popular annual village run.
The Crowle 10k returned for its 24th year, with over 400 people lacing up and heading into the country lanes surrounding the village on the outskirts of Worcester.
The run attracts many people from the Parish, with a special award for the fastest Crowle resident, and beyond, with some people coming from outside the county to take part.
Steve Bott, race director of Crowle 10k, said: “We have got 435 people taking part in the 10k and over 100 children doing the kids race, which is about 10 per cent up on last year.
“The things that make this race special are the village feel. We’ve got burgers and the Crowle WI (Women’s Institute) doing tea and cakes and all that lovely stuff.
“We’re also running on closed roads and there’s no traffic, so for runners who are not perhaps that experience or confident, they know its safe and there is one less thing for them to worry about.”
Before the race began, many runners were wrapped up in coats and cold-weather gear.
However, just moments before the race began, the sun began to peek through the clouds and many jackets and tops were thrown to loved ones watching on the sidelines.
The run starts at Crowle Parish Hall at the far south of the village, before heading up Church Road and onto Old Turnpike Road and Littlebrook.
The course takes a left just before Himbleton and onto Trench Lane, where over one mile of the route involves runners doubling back on themselves, giving them a view of the runner in front and behind them.
Former landlords of beloved village pub to take over canalside pub near Droitwich
‘We’re working on it’ Balloon festival mystery with just weeks to go
Dad raises nearly £3,000 at London Marathon for NHS maternity appeal
After passing through the hamlet of Sale Green, the runners were on their way back towards Crowle.
The last half-mile of the run, a slight downhill back along Church Road, is what Mr Bott described as the best part of the run.
The first runners arrived back at the Parish Hall 34 minutes after setting off, with Charlie Joyner taking first place overall.
Over the following hour, the rest of the participants flooded back into the field, each receiving a medal for completing the event.
