MORE than 3,000 runners competed against each other on the streets of Oxford, while raising thousands for charity.

The city’s annual Town & Gown run saw 3,250 people taking part in the 10km event, in aid of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.

Thousands of spectators lined the course to cheer on the competitors – who ranged from top club runners to amateurs in fancy dress.

Last night, organisers said they were on track to raise £100,000, taking the total raised in the event’s 29 year history to more than £1m.

Among the runners was Stuart White, of Derwent Avenue, New Marston, Oxford, whose six-year-old son Isaac suffers from the disease.

Isaac cycled the last 200 metres of the course in his specially adapted trike, while being helped by his father, a politics lecturer at Oxford University.

Dr White said: “What really motivates me is the fact that it raises more awareness of Muscular Dystrophy. It’s a great course and it’s lovely to run around this city.”

His wife Katherine Wedell said: “What’s really important is to see all these people raising money for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.

“It’s a severe muscle wasting disease and life expectancy is between 18 and 30, but thanks to the funds being raised by the charity, there is a real prospect of a treatment becoming a reality.”

Mark Flashman, 41, felt compelled to help the charity after seeing how his girlfriend’s 13-year-old son was affected by the disease.

Mr Flashman, from Chipping Norton, said he was “chuffed to bits” with his time of 47 minutes – knocking almost 10 minutes off his previous personal best.

He hopes to raise £5,000 by doing a series of runs, culminating in the Las Vegas Marathon in December.

Jacquelyne Bevis, from Kidlington, had more than one reason to get to the finish line quickly.

She travelled straight to Wembley to watch Oxford United do battle against York in the Blue Square Premier play-off final at 5pm.

She said: “We knew we had to support them.”

First past the finishing line, in just over 32 minutes, was Oxford University lecturer Peter Haarer, 42, from New Marston, Oxford, who has taken part in the race more than 10 times but had never won before.

Dr Haarer said: “It was all tough.”

Click on the pictures below to go to our gallery of race pictures.

See Tuesday’s Oxford Mail for a full set of results and times.