RUNNERS around the county celebrated the 70th anniversary of the NHS with special themed parkruns on Saturday.

The popular weekly running events were transformed with hospital staff running in uniform or fancy dress to mark the anniversary.

The Harcourt Hill parkrun takes place every Saturday but this weekend runners and organisers were celebrating the 70th anniversary of the NHS.

In keeping with the 1948 theme, special Born in the NHS vests were given out to the male and female runners closest to 19 minutes 48 seconds over the 5k as well as to the 19th and 48th placed runners.

NHS staff, from nurses to surgeons, ran in fancy dress and volunteered to organise the run.

Run director Mark Taylor said it was a great success and that runners enjoyed celebrating the anniversary.

He said: “It was a wonderful morning, a typical British summer morning and everyone had lots of fun.

“We had volunteers and runners from the health service, some people ran in fancy dress as nurses and there was even one runner dressed as a patient.

“It went really well and there was even cake at the end, which is certainly different from other runs.”

Oxford parkrun, in Cutteslowe Park, and Witney parkrun - at West Witney Sports and Social Club - also honoured the anniversary.

Parkruns in Bicester, Abingdon and Didcot also took part.