GALE force winds and rain failed to dampen the enthusiam of Santas who took to their heels to raise money for a North Yorkshire hospice charity.
The annual Herriot Hospice Homecare Santa Run took place despite the best efforts of Storm Desmond which lashed the 5k route at Stone Cross, Northallerton.
Taking part for the first time was Richmond MP Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata.
“Running in full Santa suit in what seemed like a Force 8 gale at times was not easy but we thought it was great fun to be part of,” he said.
“Well done to everyone who braved the weather to raise money for such a good cause,” he added.
More than 50 runners took in the event which followed the route of the weekly Northallerton parkrun around the playing fields by the Hambleton Leisure Centre.
The Northallerton parkrun director Tony Norris help organise the event along with staff and volunteers from the hospice. The chairman of Hambleton District Council, Cllr Stephen Dickens, and his wife, Margaret, started the run off and presented medals to the finishers.
Leanne Hardcastle, the hospice’s community and events fundraiser, said the run would raise more than £500.
She added: “Numbers were down a little on previous years but we are very grateful to those who turned out in terrible weather to help us.”
Herriot Hospice Homecare provides services at home to patients in Hambleton and Richmondshire with life-limiting illnesses.