HUNDREDS of women enjoyed a girl’s night out with a difference as they walked 13 miles for charity – powering through a late-night storm.

The heavens opened as more than 600 determined walkers took on the Martlets Midnight Walk challenge on Friday night.

Those taking part in the women-only event either did the shorter six-mile route or the full 13-mile trek around the streets of Brighton and Hove.

The event, which started and finished at Brighton Racecourse, is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Martlets Hospice in Wayfield Avenue, Hove.

Now in its eighth year, it has raised more than £1 million.

Robert Griffiths, Hospice fundraising director, said: “The ladies set off on a lovely summers evening at midnight and we were all enjoying ourselves, when the heavens opened – but they braved it and carried on regardless.”

He added: “We appreciate all they did and we are also grateful to the marshals who supported the walk – they are the unsung heroes.”

Many of those taking part wore fancy dress outfits including brightly coloured wigs, pink boas, bunny ears and cowboy hats as family, friends and passers-by cheered them on.

Animals also got in on the act with several dogs joining their owners for the walk. A large number of fundraisers were walking in memory of loved ones, neighbours or work colleagues who were looked after by the team at the hospice.

When walkers returned to the racecourse they were given breakfast before heading home to dry off and have a well deserved rest.

Organisers are still counting up how much has been raised but it is expected to run into tens of thousands of pounds.

The hospice needs more than £4.7 million every year to keep its services going.

It is not part of the NHS and so relies on the support of the community at events like the Midnight Walk to carry on its vital work.

THE RUNNERS: Nikki Acott Samantha Adams Nikki Addison Josie Allan Angie Allgeier Avril Allgeier Andrea Allum Melanie Almond-Pope Susan Almond-Pope Tina Amiet Tracey Anderson Chloe Anderson Michelle Anderson Caron Anderson Christina Angelini Rebecca Anscombe Lenka Ashry Kim Ashurst Hayley Austin Jayne Aveline Kathryn Bailey Jill Baker Michelle Baker Joan Ballington Gunn Bannister Carol Barnes Charlotte Barnes Helen Barnett Gemma Bean Laura Beattie Jo Beck Molly Benge Sue Benge Rosie Benge Erica Bentley Lisa Beresford Tanya Bertino Sue Salih Jada Salih Lianne Bingham Tracey Bishop Eileen Bishop Lee Blacknell Helen Bloomer Karen Bond Madeleine Bowers Romi Boyten Janice Bradbury Karen Bradley Paula Bravery Carla Brimelow Yvonne Brodrick Katie Brooker Jill Brooks Gill Brooks Yvonne Broom Beth Brown Kate Brown Lynn Brown Jennifer Brown Lisa Bruzas Jackie Bryant Sarah Buckingham Marian Buckley-Pettitt Sara Buckner Lesley Bull Stef Burfield Jane Burke Tracy Burns Natasha Burt Paige Burt Chloe Burtenshaw Tina Burtenshaw Kayleigh Burton Lucy Butcher Tracy Butcher Fleur Butler Rachel Buttery Janice Byrne Claire Callow Sally Canning Iris Canning Julie Carrutherq Denise Carter Laura Carter Abbie Carter El Cerrato Linda Chamberlain Julie Chamberlain Katie Chapman Terri Chase Lindsay Cheeseman Caroline Chivers Jessica Chivers Sarah Able Chloe Church Victoria Chuter Amy Clark Hayley Clark Olivia Clark Sally Clark Sharon Clarke Jacqui Clough Pamela Cockram Susan Coe Samantha Coleman Lisa Collings Emma Collins Rachel Collis Angela Cook Angela Corbett Helen Cornwell Cheryl Costello Janice Cotton Elizabeth Cottrell Hannah Cowley Emily Cox Angela Crabtree Kayleigh Crafer Mandy Crew Rachel Crosby Sue Cruickshank Julie Damario Leah Davies Sandra Davies Sarah Delaloye-Dean Abbe Denness Fiona Desmedt Maureen Devine-McAuley Theresa Doherty Sarah Donegan Domenica D'Onofrio Christina Dove Geraldine Dowle Melanie Dowding Karen Dowsing Serena Dowsing Judith Drury