CLOUDS of rainbow-bright powder pelted runners from head to toe during Kendal's most colourful charity event.

Sunday's Colour Dash around Kendal Castle has so far raised more than £26,000 for St John's Hospice, Lancaster, thanks to enthusiastic support from 1,200 runners young and old.

Among those covering the 5km distance in glorious sunshine was Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron, who said: "It is testament to the community spirit of our area that so many local people turned up and took part."

Sara Brown, the hospice's community fundraiser, described the atmosphere as "incredible", with almost twice as many entrants as at last year's first-ever Colour Dash.

"I was thrilled to see so many people from the local community running to support St John’s Hospice and it is thanks to them, and the fabulous weather, that the event was an extraordinary success," Sara told the Gazette.

"We have had so much positive feedback from runners and organisations who attended on the day. I would like to extend our grateful thanks to the volunteers and marshals who also came along to help make sure that everything ran smoothly.”

En route, runners were coated with blue, orange, green and purple paint powder at colour stations sponsored by the Westmorland Shopping Centre, The Vault gym, South Lakes Housing and Yorkshire Bank. Local schools gave strong support, among them 85 students from Dallam, Milnthorpe; 15 from the Lakes School, Troutbeck Bridge; and almost 70 from Windermere School - five of whom finished in the top 10 with Year Nine student Josh Bellis finishing in first place.

St John's Hospice marks its 30th anniversary this year, and money raised from the Kendal Colour Dash will help to support people with cancer and life-limiting conditions across South Lakeland, north Lancashire and parts of North Yorkshire.