THIS year's Bournemouth Marathon Festival kicked off on Saturday with the four junior events - including two which were taking place for the first time.

Despite grey clouds and the odd drop of rain, the afternoon saw a bumper turnout as children ranging from three years old all the way up to 18 year olds descended on Pier Approach to run along the seafront.

The first of two new events, the Kids' Kilometre saw parents accompany children on the route, which got the festival underway

Youngsters ran along the promenade towards Boscombe for a short stretch, before heading back towards Bournemouth Pier for the finish.

This was followed by the 1.5k for six to eight year olds where hundreds travelled along the seafront.

After the 1.5k, a third set of runners aged between nine and 12 took centre stage, again with hundreds of participants.

The junior offering for this year's event concluded with the first ever junior 5k at the festival.

After running east along the promenade and back to Bournemouth Pier, the runners aged 11 to 18 did a loop of the pier before a sprint for the line.

Lauren and Hannah Carr, both 10 from Torquay, are participating in their third Bournemouth Marathon Festival.

The girls ran in the 2k and have each raised £60.00.

“We’re running for Macmillan and we’re running for ourselves to try and beat each other.”

Imogen Allamby, eight, from Kinson Primary School, and her brother Dylan, six, were running for their chosen charity The Meningitis Foundation after their cousin Connie Moore died from the disease in January 2014.

This is Imogen’s third marathon. This year she has only raised £10, but last year she managed to raise £175.

Imogen’s younger brother, Dylan, who ran in the Kids’ Kilometre, said he was “really fast”.

Taylor Linkstead, 10, was running his first ever 2k race and his chosen charity is the PDSA, for which he has raised £15.00.

Before starting the race, Taylor said: “I’m a bit nervous!"

Maddisson Macaree, 12, travelled from Surrey to participate in this year’s event .

“I did it last year, but I’m still a bit nervous,” she said.

The Luker Family, from Milton Keynes, are running in this year’s festival to raise money for a charity that helped them greatly.

When their oldest daughter Emilia, 10, was five, she was diagnosed with Leukaemia, and spent two years undergoing treatment. Emilia has been in remission for three years, and this is her second attempt at the festival.

Evie Roadnight, 10, from Bowden Powell School in Poole.

“It’s my second marathon, and I am feeling confident. We train once every week at school and I am quite good at pacing myself.”

Finn Moore, aged seven, completed the 1.5k in 6:56.

Finn took part to raise money for The Meningitis Foundation, after his cousin died from the disease in 2014.

The Kinson Primary School pupil, said: “The race was easy, really easy!”

Peaches Pearson, from Poole, ran in the 1.5k race to raise money for her chosen charity, Guide Dogs UK.

“I have raised over £100 for the charity. I think the race as easy!”

Twins Ellie and Dede Cupit, 12, are from The Bishop Of Winchester Academy.

Ellie said: “We have been training for a few months, but we are really excited, which is why we are jumping!”

Sophie Randolph, nine, who competed in the 2k race is visiting from Warminster with her family.

“It was really nice but the scenery was quite distracting. I felt quite nervous at the start but once I got going I felt happy," Sophie said.

Her older brother Jacob was competing in the 5k event and he said: "I did a lot of running practice this week, I did a cross country race.”

Their mum, Nancy, is running in the 10k race.

“We’re not running for a particular charity, we are just running to keep fit," she said.

"It’s my first marathon. I am into fitness, such as spinning. I’ve been training for this for the past three to four weeks.”