LEVERHULME Park was awash with pink when more than 900 ladies took part in the annual Race for Life — kick starting the UK's largest women-only fundraiser in the North West.

Women and girls of all ages looked in pretty in pink —as they gathered at the start line to run, jog or walk, some with their pooches — the 5k to raise funds for Cancer Research UK supported by their friends and family.

This event alone has already raised £60,000 for vital research into the condition.

The race as always was tinged with emotion with many having poignant messages pinned to their outfits to run memory of someone they had lost to cancer, while celebrating the lives of the loved ones at the same time.

Yesterday's event was the first Cancer Research UK's Race for Life in the North West.

Chelsea Brandrick, aged 22, who was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukaemia in August 2013 signalled the start of the race.

The university student from Egerton is now in remission thanks to treatment that was only developed in the 1990s.

She said: "The Race for Life is important because we need to keep developing new treatments and new treatments are being developed all the time, so much is happening and it is making such a difference."

Cancer survivor Debs Leyden, aged 49, was taking part to celebrate 10 years of beating breast cancer, and in memory and celebration of friends she has lost to cancer.

Mrs Leyden, from Bromley Cross, was joined by 20 friends while her proud son Harvey looked on.

She said: “I am a survivor.

“I have taken part every year since 2004, apart last year. I just feel very humbled to be here, I have lost people who I made friends with through the support networks.

“Nine years ago I did not think I would be stood here with my friends and family.

“It is emotional being here, it is a mixed bag of emotions, but it is celebration of the memory of friends I have lost and to raise money into research.

“My son was only two-years-old when I first took part and The Bolton News too k a picture and he is here with me.”

Harvey, aged 13, added: “I don’t remember watching her the first time, but it has become a tradition that my mum takes part in the race – I am very proud of her.”

Nine-year-old Gemma Moor from Harwood was taking part in the event in memory of her grandma Audrey Moor, with her mum Beverley, aged 48.

Gemma said: “I am running for my nana, I wanted to support the charity to help other people who get cancer and build up the money to help get them better.”

Mrs Moor said: “I have been training every day for three weeks and this is something I wanted to do because I am not a runner and to do it for Cancer Research. My mother-in-law died at the aged of the 73 from bowel cancer.”

Angela Fleming, aged 42, was all fired up for the event having coming as a dragon, who was doing the event with Charlotte Roocroft, aged 22, from Leyland.

She said: “It is a fun day for a serious charity and by dressing up it adds more fun to it.

“My gran, Joyce Gallagher died of lung cancer at the age of 84-years-old.

“This is a way of celebrating her life and raising money for charity.”

Charlotte added: “I wanted to get the warmest costume I could get.”

Three-year-old Millie –Mae Atherton, aged three, was running for her great-grandparents.

Proud mum Laura McDonald, aged 28, from Tonge Moor, said: “She has been excited to take part, she hasn’t done much training but she does run me off my feet.”

Elizabeth Vickers, aged 30, from Kearsley, said: “The girls wanted to do it.

“It is such a good event to raise awareness of cancer and get children supporting charities.”

Her daughters Faye and Tegan Bennetta, aged 11, are hoping to raise £200 and they say “make a difference”.

The first to cross the line in 19m 40s was Gina Senior, aged 45, from Wigan.

She said: “I am a club runner but I didn’t think I would come first.

“I was running for my mum who was diagnosed with breast cancer and she is now fine.

“Last week I did that Manchester 10K for Macmillan Nurses.”

Alison Barbuti, from Cancer Research, said: “This is the first Race for Life events in the North West and we are hoping it will inspire more people to join the other Race for Life we have.

“Every single penny raised will help us to beat cancer sooner – we know that survival rates are improving in the 1970s one in four survived but not is two in four for adults and our next target is three out of four- but we will not stop until we beat it.”

To sign to a Race for Life event visit raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org/index.html