IT was second time lucky for runners taking part in the Mary Stevens Hospice Santa Jog at the weekend.

Hundreds of people donned their festive red suits on Sunday December 17 to take part in the rescheduled 5K charity event which had to be postponed by a week after heavy snow blanketed Stourbridge.

Up to around 500 managed to attend the re-organised event which had originally seen a record 700-people sign up - and hospice bosses hope to have raised around £13,000-plus from the event held in Mary Stevens Park, Norton, which is a big fundraiser for the Oldswinford charity.

Charlotte Schofield, head of fundraising and lottery at Mary Stevens Hospice, said: “After the disappointment of having to cancel the event last weekend, we honestly didn’t know what to expect, so to see a wave of hundreds of Santas making their way across the park to come and join us was just overwhelming.

"Our supporters are absolutely incredible, and we hope they loved the day splashing about in the mud dressed as Santa Claus for local families in need.

"The atmosphere and community spirit we felt throughout the event is something that we will never forget."

Hospice supporters, who were unable to take part in the rescheduled event, are invited to do their own version of the Santa Jog in their own time and collect their medals from the charity this week or in the New Year.

Spokesman Dan Malin said: "We're hopeful a lot of people will still do it in their own time."

The hospice is currently trying to raise £3million to completely rebuild its Day Services Unit in addition to funding annual running costs of almost £3million.