The sun shone for this year’s Petersfield Heath 5km event organised by local running club the Runnyhoneys.

A new addition to this year’s event was the 1.5km mini race. Thirty-one enthusiastic children aged seven years and under dragged their parents 1.5km round the Heath, chased by a unicorn tail runner. The first three runners to finish were Iona McLean, Edie Strothers and Lachlan Frank.

The mini race was followed by the annual 5km event. Petersfield mayor JC Cressey started the race, a task that has been undertaken on two previous occasions by Councillor Jamie Matthews, who was running in this year’s event.

The race is aimed at all abilities, and this year’s field included Richard Kent – who celebrated his 80th birthday by taking part. The top six finishers all completed the course in sub 20-minute times. The winner of the junior child event, Charlie Carman, beat his own course record and finished fourth overall.

In the men’s category, the first finisher was Charlie Pickett in a time of 17.39. Rob Carr was second in 19.06 and Giles Everingham was third in 19.33.

In the junior children’s category Carman was first in a course record 19.40, Duncan McLean was second in 19.59 and Lucas Hall was third in 22.11.

In the senior children’s category Toby Bayne-Powell was first in 21.10, Lewis Davis was second in 23.37 and Lucy Harfield was third in 25.40.

In the women’s category Kayleigh Gyles was first in 20.59, Elizabeth Soper was second in 21.42 and Maddy Smith was third in 22.46.

This year’s event was sponsored by Body & Mind Physiotherapy and it raised a record amount of £1,858, which will be divided equally between the Stroke Association and the Petersfield Stroke Support Group.