VICTORIA Park was awash with runners on Sunday morning as thousands of competitors took part in the English Half Marathon.

Greeted by glorious sunshine along a route lined by spectators, more than 2,700 runners entered the half marathon event with a further 500 completing the 10K course.

Finishing at the Victoria Park athletics track, live music, food and drink stalls and the prospect of a new personal best proved the incentive for the majority.

It was a welcome return for Warrington’s Daniel Cliffe, with the Chester Road resident retaining the men’s title he won three years ago.

“I won it in 2011, but I felt a bit faster this year,” said the 23-year-old. “I know the course pretty well – I’ll be back next year, definitely.”

Cinnamon Brow’s Louise Blizzard is also a former winner. The Belgrave Harriers athlete finished second on Sunday, but enjoyed her fourth outing at the race.

She said: “It’s a lovely route, so scenic. It’s really pretty and it’s so nice to have it on your doorstep.

“I’ve been training around the course, which is nice to be able to do. This is my fourth time and it’s always very well organised.”

Women’s winner Kelly Crickmore, from Stockport Harriers, added: “I really enjoyed it. It’s a great course and you get a lot of support on the way round.”

For others, the event provided an opportunity to raise money for their chosen charities.

Labour parliamentary candidate for Warrington South Nick Bent and fellow supporter Dave Scally raised nearly £1,000 for Warrington Home-Start, The Guardian's charity of the year,

A spokesman for the charity said: "They are both fundraising for us and you can show your appreciation by donating – every pound counts and you will also be supporting Home-Start Warrington. Visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/nickbent or  mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/davidscully2."

While the Warrington Wolves Foundation was also well represented.

Matt Weedon, from Penketh, took on the challenge in place of his cousin Jo Cogan, raising money for Leukemia and Lymphoma Research after losing friend Mark Rothwell last year.

The 30-year-old explained: “My cousin was going to do it but she got pregnant, so three weeks ago I said I’d take on the mantle – I didn’t like her very much on the way round!

“My best friend died last year, so we’ve been raising money and now I’ve done the race I’ll be kicking everyone into gear to raise some more.”

Nick Fogarty, who works for O2 at Preston Brook, was running for Reuben’s Retreat – a charity aiming to provide retreat for families suffering a bereavement of a child or for those children suffering life-limiting and life-threatening illness.

“It went really, really well,” he said. “It’s a great race, this is the third time I’ve done it, and it was for a great cause with the charity just two years old.

“The actual fund raising event is going to be the Chester Marathon next month, so this was my training run.”