GALLERY: Runners covered in paint at Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre

The 3.5km route through Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre was the first event of its kind at the museum and has been hailed a success by organisers.

Raising funds for the Craven Arms charity, which offers exhibitions to schools and the public about the Shropshire hills and surrounding wildlife, 40 people strapped on their trainers to take to the track and walk, jog or run the route through the centre's meadows.

Grant Wilson, centre manager, said money raised from the Tusker's Colour Run will contribute to a school bursary fund started earlier this year.

He said the fund will help broaden the centre’s education programme, which already involves 3,000 students, to deprived schools in the city.

“As a charity we don’t get funding from local or regional government bodies so we have to be financially self-supporting through events like this,” Mr Wilson said.

“We’re continuously trying to raise funds through our events programme and this is just one of our events we’re putting together and the idea is to keep it going every year – there might even be a winter one.

“This year we started a school bursary fund which we’re setting up to provide our educational activities to inner city areas and offer it to schools in deprived areas which is really important for us.”

First across the line was 13-year-old Lewis Tomlinson who had travelled from Staffordshire to take part while seeing his grandparents.

He said: “I wasn’t focused on coming first, I just wanted to run the route and ended up in first place.

“The track was good, there was one muddy bit where I nearly fell over but apart from that it was great.

“We’ve been coming here for years and it’s nice to support the centre.”

Not far behind the teenager was Jayne Sockett, 45, of Leintwardine and Sara Kapleton, 43, of Diddlebury, who both use the centre in the schools they work in.

Jayne said: "There's lots of people with little children taking part which is fantastic to see as it's a great area for them and easy to get to.

"We work in schools and use the centre for its educational workshops that they offer to it's really important to give back so they can continue into the future."

Sara added: "It's also really important for local families as it's a free place that they can bring their children, it's educational and a beautiful place to come."

Also taking part in Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre's first colour run was 30-year-old Hannah Pipe, who finished in fifth place and Rachel Morris-Jones, 38, who finished in fourth place behind her daughter Chloe, 10, in third place.

Rachel said: "I work in Craven Arms so it's nice to come somewhere local. Chloe's been on school trips here and we've come here ourselves so it's nice to come and support them."