SCORES of men, women and children dressed in red coats and fluffy white beards took part in a charity fun run this morning.

The Great Santa Fun Run at Badbury Rings was organised by the Wimborne Rotary Club with the aim of participants running for their chosen charity and around 70 to 100 people taking part.

To see our gallery of pictures click here.

Participants were each handed bright red trousers and a coat, a matching red hat and white beard and were encouraged to run and walk through the fields along a two or four-mile route.

Derek Radley, president of the Wimborne Rotary Club, said: “The idea is that we facilitate an event to allow other organisations to fundraise for their charity or group in a fun way.

“We give the farmer who owns the land we use for the event £500 to give to his chosen charity, which this year is Julia's House children's hospice. We at the Rotary Club also sponsor a participant as well, with that money going to Cherry Tree Nursery.

“It's difficult to put a figure on how much money this year's event will raise but in previous years, we have made upwards of £5,000 for charity and sometimes as much as £10,000.

“Last year the rain really came down but still people turned out as they wanted to raise money for their charity and it brings out all their families and children to support.”

Jack Barwick, 11, took on the two-mile route and was cheered on by his family including his grandma, Anna Barwick.

She said: “Jack does a lot of athletics and cross country running, so wanted to take part in the fun run. He was raising money for the Rabbit Welfare Association, because we have house rabbits at home.”