HUNDREDS of charity runners got pretty muddy at the weekend.

The weather may have been wall-to-wall sunshine but it was still very muddy in Brighton’s Stanmer park as more than 700 children and 1,400 adults took party in Cancer Research UK’s Pretty Muddy race.

One of the youngest runners was Amelia-Jean Harris, of Lewes.

Running with her mum Kelly Clarke and sister Elizabeth, 13, the South Malling nursery pupil could not wait to get to grips with the 5km course.

Amelia-Jean said: “One of my teachers at nursery is poorly so I’m doing it for her.”

Mum Kelly added:”So many people are affected by cancer, grandparents, uncles. We just wanted to do something to help and for a challenge.”

Schoolfriends Toby Vincent, Brodie Wainright, Charlie Byrne and Tiger Brewer, from Worthing, worked as a team to get each other through the dirty obstacle course.

The Downsbrook Primary pupils, all nine, were exhausted, elated and filthy by the end of the race.

Brodie said: “I wanted to do it because my nan died of cancer.

“I’d normally get told off for getting this much mud on my clothes but it’s been really fun.”

Tiger’s mum Marina Brewer added: “They are all really good friends from school and they cam up with a team. They have been really great at encouraging each other and the faster ones supporting the slower ones and getting through it all together.

“We’re all really proud of them.”

Elissa Garman, 10, of Partridge Green, was running with best friend Erin Huntley.

She said: “We just really wanted to do something to help other people and it’s been really good fun. This is the first time I’ve ever done anything like this and I’d definitely do it again.”

Shannon Lorimer, 16, gathered a group of her year 11 classmates from Cardinal Newman School in Hove to celebrate finishing school.

She said: “I thought it would be a really fun thing to do to mark the end of school and do something for charity.

“There are about 10 of us in all. We haven’t done any training though, but we are in a PE group together so we’re hoping that helps. “

Cancer research UK senior area events manager Helen Curtis said: It has been very warm and dry but everyone has still come out.

“There has been such a lovely atmosphere. We reduced the size of the course slightly this year to make it more intimate and there has been lots of supporters.

It is the first time we’ve done the children’s event and they have loved it. Kids just love an opportunity to get really muddy without being told off.”