MORE than 1,000 runners took part in the Cambourne 10k on Sunday - the final race of the Cambridge Festival of Running – while another 200 young and novice runners joined the one-mile fun run that took in part of the 10k course.

Sullivan Smith, a Cambridge & Coleridge Club runner, won the cup for the best men’s time, completing the 10k in just 33.04 minutes, while Lauren Stewart from the Woodford Green & Essex Ladies Athletics Club took the award for the fastest woman on the day with a time of 37.51. The Fun Run winner was Peter Cooke who ran the mile in 5.57.

The Cambourne 10k and the Fun Run are now established events in the running calendar and follow a course that ends on the Cambourne Business Park. “The Festival of Running is not only a very successful sporting event, but now has a reputation as a really effective charity fundraiser because the event is run by volunteers and there are no administration costs,” said Lesley Scobell, marketing manager for Cambourne Business Park and one of the race organisers.

“We are proud to say we have raised �25,000 in the last three years! In 2012 we will again be raising funds for local charities including the Wildlife Trust and the Cambridge & Coleridge Athletics Trust.”

Members of many of the region’s running clubs took park in the race.