THOUSANDS of rainbow-coloured runners took part in a 5k race with a difference at the weekend.

Saturday saw the first-ever Run or Dye event to be held in Oxfordshire at the Cornbury Park estate, near Charlbury.

It attracted 2,500 people who were blasted with safe, eco-friendly paint as they ran around the estate. And they could also buy more brightly coloured packets of dye to throw at each other.

The day finished with a party and even more paint being thrown over the crowd by event MC Sam Malachowski.

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Kayleigh Hall, 19, from Marston in Oxford, took part after reading about it on Facebook.

She said: “It was wonderful, amazing. The atmosphere was so good and there were different colours everywhere.

“It was especially good at the end when they threw all the dye into the crowd.”

Witney Gazette:

  • Peter Attrill, left, and Adam Betts

Airmen Adam Betts, 19, and Peter Attrill, 29, both based at RAF Benson, were first and second across the line respectively.

Mr Attrill said: “It was certainly colourful. It’s something a bit different, someone suggested it so we decided to run together. It was great fun.”

The Run or Dye series has been held in or around 150 cities across the world and was launched in the UK this year.

Witney Gazette:

  • Vinoth Kumar and Panagiota Vakola

Saturday’s was the last of nine UK events and it followed a similar fundraiser, called the Rainbow Run, organised by children and young adults hospice Helen & Douglas House in the University Parks, Oxford, in June.

Speaking after the run Mr Malachowski said Run or Dye was all about “love, and trying to be a better person”.

He said: “For some reason people just want to get covered in dye, they can’t get enough of it.

“And it makes for a good memory and great pictures.

Witney Gazette:

  • A runner makes his way through a dye station

“It’s harder for people from the UK to open up than in America. But I thought the race went really well – lots of people were really ready to have a great time.”

Originally an American franchise, Run or Dye draws inspiration from the ancient Hindu festival of Holi, also known as the Festival of Colours, where people gather to sing, dance, play, chase and colour each other with powder.

Panagiota Vakola, 23, who lives in Combe near Woodstock, said: “I came here with my friends and we had a great time. It was really fun and colourful.”

The event raised money for national charity StreetGames, which helps disadvantaged youngsters play more sport.

  • Watch our video of the event here 

 

 

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