THE start of an emotional evening began with a riot of colour and a zumba warm up as hundreds of people geared up for an annual charity walk.

More than 850 people took part in this year's Midnight Memories Walk for all kinds of different reasons, but all had one thing in common, their support of Bolton Hospice.

The eight-mile walk began at The Market Place shopping centre with entertainment and a warm up from 9pm. The walkers set off with a big cheer at 10pm.

Events manager at Bolton Hospice Maria Passarello was very emotional ahead of the walk, this is the first time she will be walking it in memory of her sister, who had previously been a lead walker for the event.

Daniella Chesney, aged 48, Maria's sister, died earlier this year, Maria said: "It's difficult for me this year because Daniella used to lead and now she's got to be a memory bib on my back, I created all this and I never imagined I'd be walking with my sister on my back."

Theatre Dance Studios kicked off the evening performing a medley routine including both ballet and hip hop styles. They were cheered on by the hundreds of walkers dressed in pink, blue and yellow – many sporting sparkly ears.

Then Laura Williams took to the stage in The Market Place to lead the hundreds of walkers in a zumba-style warm up.

One group of nine were supporting 23-year-old Emma Skelly from Westhoughton, who lost her mother Karen at the end of March.

Emma said: "The hospice were brilliant with my mum. We wanted to give something back. I've done the walk twice before and the bubble rush and my mum held a charity ball three years ago for the hospice."

The group had called themselves Skelly's Sunflowers and each wore a sunflower on their wrist. They have raised more than £1,000 for Bolton Hospice.

Fiancées Carla Zajac and Gordon Irving were walking for the first time and had dressed up for the occasion, Carla sporting a multi-coloured wig and Gordon talking part as a sombrero-wearing Mexican.

Carla, aged 40, said: "I'm walking in memory of my mum, Karen Turner, she died on June 6 last year and I volunteered to do bucket collecting for the hospice, I really enjoyed that. I've dressed up to make it fun, my mum was all about having fun."

The day was made even more poignant because today is both Carla and Karen's birthday.

Gordon, aged 45, said: "I've been saying this all makes death seem happy, that's how I feel. There's that many people here that have lost loved ones it makes death seem a little bit happier."

The couple from Johnson Fold have raised £645 for the hospice.

Walkers will be met at the finish line outside The Market Place by the mayor of Bolton Cllr Elaine Sherrington who will be giving them all medals at about 2am.

Cllr Sherrington said: "It's wonderful to see so many people get involved in something that's so important for everyone."

She thanked all the people taking part in raising money for the hospice, which is one of her mayoral charities.

Last year the hospice, which needs to raise £3.4 million each year, received £104,438 from those taking part who had raised vital sponsorships for the charity.