Plucky runners sizzle in Shifnal half-marathon sunshine

Dozens of hardy runners took part in the 10th Shifnal Half-Marathon yesterday as temperatures soared.

Organisers of the event, which was previously known as Shifnal Steeplechase Half-Marathon, believe they are on course to raise more than £1,000 for Hope House Children's Hospice and Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

David Smith, who has marshalled at the event since its inception, said despite the heat the event was a success.

"It was a great day and a lot of people get involved with it now," he said.

The first runner back at the end of the race was Chris Davies, from Telford Athletic Club, who completed the course in one hour 23 minutes. The event was particularly poignant for 25-year-old Heather Lomax, from Sheriffhales.

She completed the half-marathon in memory of her brother William who was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma in 2009 and died on September 3 last year, aged 22.

William recieved a lot of his treatment in the Young People's Unit at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, which is part-funded by the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Running fanatic Heather was keen to help raise money for the Trust and thought this local run would be the perfect place to start.

Heather, a community wellbeing worker for the Kaleidoscope Plus Group said: "The Teenage Cancer Trust is a fantastic charity who believe that young people's lives shouldn't stop because they have cancer, so treat them as young people first, cancer patients second.

"The level of care that Will received, especially in his last few weeks, on the Young Peoples Unit at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital was outstanding.

"The staff not only cared for Will but for us as a family too.

"The money raised from the event will go directly to the unit and will be spent with Will in mind."

She raised more than £300. Some of the runners were seen in T-shirts dedicated to Georgia Williams, the teenager from Wellington who was killed last month after going missing.