SANTAS of all ages descended on a Basingstoke park last Sunday morning to provide some pre-Christmas cheer and raise thousands of pounds for a good cause.

The strange sight of the Santa brigade in Eastrop Park was down to the second-ever Basingstoke Santa Jog, held in aid of the British Heart Foundation.

Hundreds of people put on their free Santa suits and Father Christmas beards and ran, jogged or walked between one and five 1km laps of the Basingstoke park.

A mass warm-up and some classic Christmas tunes, sung by members of the Sing for Fun group, got everyone in the festive mood before the start of the event.

Borough mayor Councillor Brian Gurden, who was sporting a Santa outfit, sounded an air horn to start the race, before joining the crowds to complete three laps with his son-in-law Brian Amesbury.

Cllr Gurden told The Gazette: “It’s a good cause – I support the British Heart Foundation and I put a lot into their shop in Basingstoke. I think that last year, this event raised £11,000 and we are hoping to do better than that this time.”

Participants were free to complete the course at their own speed, and several people walked with their dogs on a leash.

Brothers Harry and Robbie Munro, of Schubert Road, Brighton Hill, Basingstoke, crossed the finish line first to pick up their medals and a free bottle of water – handed out to all those taking part.

Harry, 22, said: “It was a spur-of-the-moment idea to join in, and it was a good laugh. We had to run in this morning from Brighton Hill because our car broke down.”

Other participants included five carers and five residents, some of whom have cerebral palsy, from Ashley Lodge – a care home in Winchfield near Hook.

Eleven-year-old Bex Howie and nine-year-old Kira Mailey won family tickets to the Aquadrome and Planet Ice after jointly winning a fancy dress competition for young runners.

Event organiser Melanie Blackman said that more than 300 people turned up for the event, which was up on last year.

She added: “We are very happy with that, especially as the weather did not look great this morning. It’s amazing to get that support.

“This event is particularly important to me because it’s all about people getting fit together. It’s the perfect event to do something together before the stresses and strains of Christmas.”

Participants are being urged to get their sponsorship cash in before the February 6 deadline.