Hundreds of runners from across Northern Ireland and East Belfast have taken part in this year’s Cancer Focus Northern Ireland Pink Run.

Open to all ages and abilities, the event is now firmly established as a fundraising favourite during breast cancer awareness month in October.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in Northern Ireland. Every year 1,200 are diagnosed and 300 lose their lives.

Kathryn Holland, Challenge Events manager at Cancer Focus NI, says all the money raised at the run will go towards funding research at Queens’ University in Belfast.

“Just £200 will fund half a day’s research which could make a huge difference to women who have the mutant BRCA1 gene which gives them an 85% chance of developing breast cancer.

“Even the smallest donation will help researchers explore better ways of preventing the disease and find alternative treatments for these women who at present have to consider breast removal to drastically lower their risk."

“Thank you to all our pink runners who took part in this event, challenging themselves to raise funds for local research that will help people living here with more options when it comes to treatment following a cancer diagnosis."

For more information go to www.cancerfocusni.org.