Everyone who played a part in Sunday's OX5 Run can feel proud of their contribution. The record figure raised £50,000 by 1,300 runners in just a few hours was a great performance, which will be a major boost to the Oxford Children's Hospital Campaign.

There can be few better settings to run than the grounds of Blenheim Palace, at Woodstock, especially when the sun shines and the April showers delay their arrival until the runners have finished.

The public backing for the hospital campaign has been enthusiastic since the start and the support for the event, which has steadily grown over the years, was another encouraging example of that unwavering loyalty.

Many people who participated were running simply for fun, some used it as a practice for more serious events later in the year and some were running on behalf of sick children, who badly need the best possible facilities that the health service can provide. Our thanks go to all of them and we hope that all the competitors return again next year to raise even more money.