HUNDREDS of children and their loved ones cooled off during the weekend heatwave by joining Brighter Futures' Bubble Rush.

The foam-filled fundraiser returned to Lydiard Park after taking a year off because of pandemic-related restrictions.

As temperatures soared up to 25 degrees Celsius, more than 500 runners donned branded tops before sprinting through a sea of suds on a 5km route with coloured bubble stations.

Kenresa Stratford is part of the team that helped organise the event - which was the first one Brighter Futures has held this year.

She said: "It was fantastic to have physical event for the first time in months and get back into the swing of things after everything had to be postponed.

"The families were brilliant and it was nice to see so many people smiling, they were so happy and excited and raring to go.

"For a lot of people, this was their first time out in a long time but we made sure they felt safe and there was no risk of catching Covid.

"People went in different waves, groups were socially-distanced and there was hand sanitiser everywhere.

"I joined they job at the moment is to make sure that we keep to the guidelines for our other summer events as well."

The Bubble Rush is Brighter Futures' newest event and debuted in 2019. Lockdown limits on outdoor events prevented it being held again in 2020 but eased restrictions allowed the fundraiser to make its triumphant return at long last.

Following the success of the hospital charity's first post-lockdown event, the Superhero Run is up next at Coate Water on Sunday July 18 and sign-ups are still available.

Chicken Salad Events organises the Bubble Rush nationally and Brighter Futures applied to set one up in Swindon two years ago.

Kenresa added: "It was the first time they had held an event here and we look forward to working with them again next year, hopefully."

The fundraising total for the event is still being totted up. The money will go towards different wards at Great Western Hospital and to the charity's appeals for dementia care and better births.

The dementia appeal has a £33,000 target and aims to make the hospital more friendly to people with the degenerative memory condition.

The better births appeal aims to make maternity services safer, more personalised, kinder, professional and more family friendly;

To donate or find out more, visit www.brighterfuturesgwh.nhs.uk