It's snow easy challenge for Newbury runners!

Hundreds of people turned out for the first Newbury Parkrun at Greenham Common on Saturday, despite frosty weather

HEAVY snowfall was not enough to deter the 317 runners who descended on Greenham Common for the first ever 5km Newbury Parkrun event on Saturday.

A last minute inspection of the track went ahead but organisers decided to press on with the free-to-enter timed event which had been months in planning.

Team Kennet and West Berkshire Council, with help from Greenham Common Trust, Greenham and Crookham Commons Commission, financial firm BDO and Kingsclere Print and Design, had all helped get the event, which encourages runners of all descriptions to take part, on track, and will take place every week on the Common at 9am.

Event director Rachael Elliot thanked all the volunteers who took part.

“Runners were warned to take care on the snow, but we wondered if some of the athletes had taken their lead from starting-gated racehorses at Newbury Racecourse such was their enthusiasm on the start-line,” she said.

David Fry, of Basingstoke and Mid Hants Athletics Club lead from the gun and finished in a time of 16:59 minutes, and in the ladies race Kate Towerton of Andover Athletics Club won out, with 14-year old Yasmin Ryder of Team Kennet in second place.

For more information log on to http://www.parkrun.org.uk/newbury/home.