Eleven members of the same family were among 850 women showing their support for cancer research by running in June 1's Race for Life at Heythrop Park.

Relatives who ran in memory of Winifred Guy, back row, from left, Donna Cook, Laura Cook, Jenni Carrington, middle row, Andrea Guy, Annabelle Rose, Veronica Guy, Melanie Guy, Sue Trinder, and, front, Keri Powell

Three generations of the Guy family, from Chipping Norton and surrounding villages, ran the 5km race in memory of Winifred Guy -- their mother, mother-in-law, grandmother and great-grandmother.

The mother-of-seven, of Kingham, near Chipping Norton, died last October from breast cancer, aged 84.

Like many of the runners taking part in the race whose lives have been touched by cancer, the Guy family wanted to play their part in the fight to find a cure for the disease.

They raised about £1,100 in sponsorship, which will go towards the work of Cancer Research UK, which organised the event.

The race, in the 440-acre grounds of the Heythrop Park Hotel, near Enstone, which is owned by Oxford United chairman Firoz Kassam, raised an estimated £15,000 for the charity.

Women talked and laughed as they ran and walked, some wearing photographs of loved ones who died from cancer pinned to their shirts.

Veronica Guy, 59, of Chipping Norton, who married Winifred's eldest son Peter, and their daughters Andrea, 31, and Melanie, 34, ran with Winifred's daughters Jenni Carrington, 56, and Helen de Salis, 52.

Their daughters Keri Powell, 31, who flew over from Amsterdam for the race, and Annabelle Rose, 27, joined them, along with Mrs Carrington's grand-daughter Laura Cook, 12.

Late entrants were Winifred's daughter-in-law Liesl Guy, 36, and her daughters Hannah, 12, and Chloe, 10.

Veronica said: "We're a very close family, so Win's death left a gaping hole.

"When she died, we gave £900 to Chipping Norton district nurses fund, who were brilliant throughout her illness. We wanted to do something else for her and other cancer sufferers, and the race seemed ideal. It has helped turn our sadness into a positive step forward."

As she ran, advertising assistant Lizzie Billington, 34, carried a photograph of her best friend Alicia Sommers, who died from bowel cancer aged 33 two years ago. Miss Billington, of Queen's Road, Banbury, said: "It's my way of letting her know I'll never forget her and to do my bit for Cancer Research.

"Even though the race is tinged with sadness, the atmosphere's been great. It makes you realise how much there is to live for."

Yesterday's race was one of more than 100 around across the country. The Oxford Race for Life takes place in the University Parks on June 15.