RUNNERS crossing the age and fitness divide tackled three miles of taxing terrain for a good cause at the weekend.

About 70 participants completed the fun run on a course around the village of Hawthorn, near Easington.

The run was the latest staged by gym operator Frank Ayre to help local and national charities.

Mr Ayre, a former serviceman and personal trainer, runs Inta-Fitness Leisure, in Vincent Street, Easington Colliery.

He regularly rounds up gym members and local people to compete in his charity runs, usually staged over five miles in March or April.

The last helped the Clarke Lister Brain Haemorrhage Foundation, which is based in east Durham, but Saturday's effort was for Macmillan Cancer Relief.

Mr Ayre said: "We're getting a regular group who take part.

"The course is usually five miles, but, because most of the fields around here are ploughed, I cut it to three.

"It was still cross country and included some pretty tough terrain.

"We had people aged from eight to 69. They all went off together and everyone got round, the first in about 21 or 22 minutes.

"It was a good day. We always get a good response and people have been very generous," said Mr Ayre, who gave himself the added burden of carrying a 65lb backpack around the course.

He thanked sponsors Title UK and Hadrian Water, and particularly staff and regulars at the start and finish point of the run, the Stapylton Arms pub, in Hawthorn.

Mr Ayre is now planning his next run, which he is considering making a tougher ten-mile test, in the spring.