North Essex: Out in force for Sport Relief

10:02am Monday 17th March 2008

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Hundreds of people from across north Essex have taken part in activities to raise money for Sport Relief.

Students at schools and colleges across the Tendring district helped to raise hundreds of pounds for the charity, which is a fundraising initiative by Comic Relief and BBC Sport.

Pupils took part in a one-mile run in silly hats as well as taking part in a Samba workshop at St Clare's Primary School, Clacton.

And more than 260 pupils at Hamford Primary School in Walton, helped to raise cash by attempting to make a mile-long line of pennies.

Pupils at Bishop's Park College in Jaywick Lane, Clacton, took part in an aerobics session to raise cash.

In Colchester, hundreds of people took part in the Colchester Mile as part of this year's BBC Sport Relief event.

Colchester's Roman chariot track hosted the challenge, with up to 800 runners tackling one, three or six miles to raise money for vulnerable people.

The event, on Abbey Field, was one of 200 similar runs taking place across the country on Sunday.

The Colchester Mile was organised by Colchester Council, and also featured free health checks by the Primary Care Trust and sports taster sessions, organised by the Colchester United Community Sports Trust.

Elsewhere, a mini-olympics, football tournament and a lap of the sports field were the challenges facing youngsters at Market Field Special School, Elmstead Market.

At Thomas, Lord Audley School and Language College, in Colchester, pupils completed a Sport Relief mile and took part in a competitive basketball and football shoot-out competitions.

At Earls Colne Primary School pupils each covered a mile as they ran laps of a circuit.

And five work colleagues - Bob and Jan Haines of Halstead, Charmain Devoti, Louise Tierney, both of Braintree, and Jan Borg of Halstead, took part in a one-mile run on Sunday.

It was first time staff from Bridge Personnel, Bridge Street, Halstead, had run together. The team hope to raise at least £500.

• More events and pictures in today's Gazette