THERE were smiles all round as youngsters tied up their laces and warmed up for the Cumbrian Run’s annual Family Fun Run.

Lots of families turned out for the event on Saturday and made their way around the one-and-a-half mile course with a spring in their step.

The run started and finished at the Sheepmount Athletics Stadium, taking a competitors round a loop of Bitts Park.

Rosie Groves, 22, from Wigton, was taking part with her mum Jackie and 18-month-old daughter Nellie.

She said: “It’s good to be taking part as a family. Liam - my partner - has just finished the Great Cumbrian Run so now we’re taking part in this.

“I’m going to let Nellie run the last part.

“She loves being out in the fresh air and being outside, she’s definitely her dad’s daughter.

“I’ll be pushing her most of the way in the pushchair, you don’t realise how hard it is running with a pushchair.”

Jackie said: “I’m not a natural runner but it feels marvellous to take part.”

Organiser of the event, Niall Sanderson was pleased to be able to have both events on the same day this year.

He said: “We’ve got both together this year. It’s a whole event day.

“We’ve got the younger people taking it on.

“It’s great to see so many people taking part with the children and then hopefully their children going on to take part in the Cumbrian Run when they are older.”

Natalie and Michael Storey had their two children Oliver and Leo with them for the event.

Both runners, they hope their boys will follow in their footsteps.

Michael said: “It’s nice to do it together.

“We’re getting them started young. We hope they will follow in our footsteps.”

Mother and daughter duo, Carla and Sadie Souk (CORR) were excited for the event. Carla said: “We took part in the Kids Cancer Run and Sadie really liked it so we signed up for this.”