HUNDREDS of runners, young and old gathered to take part in this year’s Frinton and Walton Half Marathon and Fun Run.

The Frinton Rotary Club event which started and finished at Frinton Cricket Club, took runners along a seaside route including Walton’s Naze Tower and the Greensward.

A ukulele band entertained spectators and saw off the hundreds of runners in what has been dubbed the ‘half marathon-by-the-sea’.

It was the third time the officially measured route has been used.

“Most people finished with a big smile and said the scenic route alongside rough seas more than made up for the energy sapping wind,” said race co-ordinator Andrew James.

“It was a great day. The high speed results service worked well and simplified booking meant we had plenty of last-minute entrants wanting a run in the sun.”

The event raised nearly £4,000 for the Rotary club’s local projects, with many runners competing in aid of their own choice charities. Jack Wharton, overall winner of the fun run, raised £100 for his youth football side.