MORE than 2,000 women ran the Race For Life on Sunday in a powerful celebration and memorial for friends and relatives afflicted by cancer.

It was one of three races organised by Cancer Research UK in Kent this summer. The charity hopes it raised £100,000 when all the sponsorship money is collected.

Women from all over Kent congregated at Hampton in the blazing sun to run the five kilometre race along the seafront, many with names of loved ones lost to cancer pinned on their vests. A minute's silence was charged with emotion as they were remembered.

But their lives, and those of recovered former cancer patients who have beaten the disease, were celebrated and the atmosphere was uplifting as the mass started warm-up exercises to lively music from the PA system.

The throng was motivated by commentator Bill Moss and exercise instructor Shani Hampshire of Pfizer Ltd, the local sponsor of the event.

National sponsors are Tesco, and both companies were well represented with big teams of runners and walkers.

As the runners took their places, they were set off by a horn honked jointly by nine-year-old Polly Crathorne, who lost her sister Sasha to cancer, and survivor Chantelle Hazelto, who works for Pfizer.

The 2,200 racers moved off to the empowering sound of Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves.

First runners over the finish line arrived just 18 minutes and 40 seconds later, led by Jessica Trowbridge, 18, of the South London Harriers. She had travelled from Kingswood, near Maidstone, to take part in memory of her great-aunt who died of breast cancer in March.

Second was Mairi Benson, 34, from Broomfield, running in memory of her fiance's father, Sid Burfoot, her aunt Violet and in celebration of a recovered friend.

Third over the line was Rosie MacDermot, 25, of Old Dover Road, Canterbury.

As well as officially starting the race, Polly Crathorne ran wearing the number one plate won in a competition in the Kentish Gazette to raise the profile of the event.

She and mother Cally, 40, were running in memory of Sasha, who died of a brain tumour four years ago aged just eight.

Cally said of Sasha: "She was diagnosed aged three and during her five year illness had surgery, chemo and radiotherapy and bore it all with unusual grace."

The pair, from Staple, said it was an emotional experience but they knew Sasha would be proud of them running to raise a joint £1,000 for Cancer Research UK.

"We stuck together on the way round and finished in 32 minutes which we felt was quite quick, we surprised ourselves. Polly was brilliant, she was striving ahead," said Cally.

"It was a fantastic day and very moving. Obviously during the minute's silence we were thinking of Sasha and it was very emotional. There were a lot of sniffs in the crowd.

"Any form of research into cancer is desperately needed."

Race organiser Rachel Wicks thanked the women who took part. She said: "It was an amazingly moving day, and it really felt like the women there were really dedicated to the charity as well as being there for a fun event.

"We hope to raise at least £100,000 so we're reminding people to collect in their money."