A MINUTE'S silence gave Race for Life participants the chance to remember why they were at the start line.

And then they were off.

A total of 1,100 women and girls had signed up for the Poole fund raiser with an impressive 160 of them opting to run 10k instead of the usual 5k.

Despite blowy conditions at Baiter Park, they were cheered on by family and friends as they challenged themselves to raise money for Cancer Research UK (CRUK).

Among those watching was Pamela Gill, whose three daughters, two granddaughters and two great-granddaughters were taking part.

Pamela lost a son to cancer seven years ago and her husband two years ago and she said Race for Life is an important event for her family.

"It was two years ago today that my husband died so they all decided to do it because it is very close to our hearts" she said.

"It is also Father's Day so that makes it a bit more special."

Great-granddaughters Freya Donellan, five, and four-year-old Scarlett Andrews were among the youngest taking part.

The 10k race was introduced to Poole for the first time and Georgina Horne from CRUK said it had been very popular.

The participants got together for a mass warm-up before they counted down to the start with runners at the front, followed by joggers, followed by walkers.

Elderly people walked alongside school children, some brought their dogs and all were dressed in pink to mark the occasion.

CRUK holds Race for Life events across the UK every year which raise millions of pounds for vital research into the killer disease.