Hundreds painted the town red in Santa suits during a fun run to raise cash for a hospice patients.

More than 250 volunteers raised £8,000 at the St Clare Hospice Santa Run yesterday (Sunday, December 3), taking on a five kilometre route through Loughton.

Organised every year by St Clare supporter Geraldine Wilson, the run started outside Geraldine’s Hair Fashions in The Broadway, Debden, following a route to Loughton High Road and back.

Now in its fourth year, runners dressed in festive attire have raised a combined total of almost £30,000 for the Hastingwood hospice through the Santa Run event since 2014.

Mrs Wilson said: “It is my pleasure to organise the Santa Run in Debden every year, in aid of St Clare.

“I know what a difference St Clare makes to so many local families, at such a difficult time in people’s lives, and so many people say that they wouldn’t have been able to cope if it wasn’t for St Clare.

“It is so important to me that we find a way, as a community, to give something back to St Clare so that they can be there for everyone who needs them in the future.”