MORE than 4,600 women of all ages ran, jogged or walked to celebrate life and commemorate loved ones they had lost.

Swindon’s Race for Life kicked off at the weekend with runners taking on either a 5km or 10km course at Lydiard Park to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Among them was 18-year-old Becky Sly, of Albion Street, Swindon, who was running for mother Helen Parsons, in tribute to her ongoing battle against the disease.

Helen, 43, who also lives in Albion Street, was diagnosed with breast cancer in November last year.

“Words can’t describe it, I’m so very proud of her,” she said. “I shall probably be in tears.

“It’s fantastic – without these people we wouldn’t be able to find a cure.”

Becky said: “I want to make it better, to raise money to get her better treatment.”

The three races were part of the largest women-only fundraising event in the UK.

Race organisers said 765 women took part in the Saturday’s 10km event while 1,630 took part in the 5km on Saturday and a further 2,250 on Sunday, which they have calculated should make the charity around £356,564.

While some runners had personal stories, which they shared with others through messages on their backs, many were just there to show support for those people who have fought and continue to fight cancer.

Outfits included cowboy hats, fluffy ears, fairy wings and wigs of all colours, but most had adopted the day’s staple colour – pink.

Tracey Davidson, from Highworth, was running for her mother Diane Sawyer alongside her aunties Carolyn Taylor, 42, and Debbie Sanderson, 38.

Tracey, 31, lost her mother to cancer in February after a two-and-a-half year battle.

She left behind a seven-year-old son, who then lost his father four weeks later with heart problems.

“It has been very hard,” said Tracey.“We were going to do it last year and mum was going to run with us but she went downhill and didn’t do it.

“We thought we could help other families keep hold of their loved ones.”

Stacey Carpenter, 29, who lives in Bristol but has family in Swindon, was cheered home by her grandmother Valerie Andrews.

Seventy-four-year-old Valerie, from Greenmeadow, only finished her radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer two months ago and has been given the all-clear a year after diagnosis.

Stacey said: “I’m doing it for my nan just because of everything she’s gone through in the last year.”

A tearful Valerie said: “I felt a bit touched – the last six months have been hard. I’m just excited that she’s done it, it’s quite moving.”

Diana Johnson, 39, of Hatherall Close, Stratton, was running in memory of her father Elijah Woodhouse, who lost his fight against cancer aged 84, and sister-in-law Jane Johnson who beat it.

She said: “It’s quite an emotional day for me.

“I’d rather not be walking for him, but that’s the way life goes.

“There are survivors and I’m helping to raise money for those who survived or are fighting it now.”

Event manager Kelly Rumble said: “It has been fantastic, the ladies look fantastic in their colourful pink outfits, they’re really making a huge effort. All round it’s an amazing atmosphere – you can’t beat it.”