LYDIARD Park was transformed into a sea of red and white yesterday as hundreds of runners gathered to take part in the fifth annual Santa Fun Run.

Despite the freezing temperatures and crunching frost underfoot, organisers said the turnout was among the highest they had seen.

Some 377 people registered online in the build up to the event with more signing up on the day, taking the total to more than 400.

Participants came in all ages, shapes and sizes, dressed uniformly from head to toe in their distinctive Santa outfits provided by Swindon’s Phoenix Rotary club who organise the event.

Organiser Paul Parfrey said at the start of the run: “It’s a great turnout and we’re looking forward to a fantastic event.

“Half the money we raise every year goes to Wiltshire Air Ambulance and half to a charity of our president’s choice.

“This year our president, Nicole Price, has decided the money will towards the Swindon Carers centre.

“Generally we raise between £5,000 and £6,000 – we also have a lot of people raising money through justgiving pages too.”

The event is set out along a 5km course, with an optional shorter 3km route for those with pushchairs, small children or those who maybe can’t quite manage the full distance.

With the weather being as cold as it was, a thorough warm up was essential for the participants and Zumba based routines were the choice of the day.

However this was not just any Zumba, these routines were led by a six foot bear wearing a helicopter flying suit and a Christmas hat.

Wilber, the ever-popular Wiltshire Air Ambulance mascot, bounced around to the music until all the runners were ready to go.

But the treats didn’t stop there, as they set off, the real air ambulance helicopter performed a flypast and a swooping turn in an acknowledgment of the support the event gives to the charity.

Valerie Whistler, Partnerships Co-ordinator for Wiltshire Air Ambulance, said: “It’s wonderful, it’s so nice to see so many people coming together to support good causes.

“It’s lovely to see all ages involved as well, it’s such a nice thing when you can include a whole community.

“We’re only a small charity, we want our community to support it and we want to support our community.

“It’s so nice for us to come here, we can meet people in the community and they can meet us.

“We really can’t thank the Rotary enough for their support, they have been absolutely brilliant.”

The coming months will see the charity launching its biggest fundraising year yet as it looks to fund not only its annual operating budget but also part of the costs of its new home – a purpose-built facility at Outmarsh Farm in Semington near Melksham.