A colourful festive event unfolded in Angus on Sunday morning as Arbroath welcomed its inaugural Santa Run.
Santa Dashes have become a firm fixture on the festive fundraising calendar, with over 6,000 involved in last year’s Glasgow event, with another outdoors event taking place at Monikie on Saturday.
Fundraisers for Cancer Research UK decided to run their own event for people of all ages, and more than 100 participants gathered in the shadow of Arbroath’s 12th Century abbey to take part.
Children, adults and their pets donned the red and white to run, jog, plod and walk along the High Street, John Street and out to the cliffs at Victoria Park.
This was soundtracked by carols sung by youngsters from the local Limelight Youth Musical Theatre.
Jakki Henderson, who with husband Chris owns Arbroath’s well-known Portcullis pub, decided to bring the dash to the town to support the local Cancer Research UK committee which regularly meets there to arrange successful fundraisers including the town’s New Year’s Day dook and the Moontrose nightwalk.
“I stumbled upon one of their meetings and then decided to get involved with the committee, so this is my first event for them,” said Jakki.
“The Santa Dash is a really good family event and I thought it would be a really good thing for the town to have the first one in Arbroath.”
A representative of the local Cancer Research UK committee praised an “absolutely fantastic turnout” and thanked local radio presenter Erin Linton for cutting the ribbon that sent the Santas on their way.
Murray Robertson, eight, was first over the line with Luis Henderson, 10, a very close second.
She added: “Another thank you to all the helpers who came to the finishing point to put up the marquee at 7.30 this morning.
“We hope you all had a fab time.
“We certainly did — see you next year.”
