The event was started by Midsomer Norton’s Mayor Lynda Robertson whose husband Richard blew a perfect G on his pocket trumpet!

The new course took seventy runners and walkers through the park and up the newly created zigzag path to the Five Arches Greenway. After completing the Greenway and the Batch path, participants made their way down the zigzag again to finish near the Somer Centre.

Participants came mainly from the local area and the local running clubs: Somer AC, Westfield TT and Welton Church Runners, were all well represented.

The youngest 5k runner was just five-years-old with the oldest runner clocking up a healthy sixty-six-years. In addition to the 5k, another twenty runners completed the 1.2km fun run. The event was won by Nicholas Beazley-Long in twenty one minutes and fifteen seconds and Marianne Carpenter in twenty three minutes and thirty three seconds.

Free refreshments provided by Welton Baptist Church afterwards in the Somer Centre were very well received and encouraged the community spirit.

Eugene Kertzman co-organiser of the event said: “Feedback from the runners and walkers was so good that we hope to put on more free runs in the future.

“Welton Church Runners are extremely grateful to the Midsomer Norton Town Trust and the Trust of Conservation Volunteers in helping to creating this lovely course through the Town Park.”