In pictures: Alexander Devine Santa Dash 2015

If you went down to Home Park yesterday, you sure got a big surprise. No, not teddies picnicking, but 160 Santas running a 5k in Windsor. 

The Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service Santa Dash aims to raise £8,000 for the charity based in White Waltham, which supports children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, and their families.

Participants paid a £10 donation to enter and collected sponsorship money before dressing up as Santa and ‘dashing’ the park.

Community fundraiser at Alexander Devine, Julia Philipson, said: “It’s a great day and a real ‘fun’ fundraiser.

“It’s a 5k race, which is about three miles, so it is really open to everyone.

“Our youngest participant this year was eight months old and we had lots of families taking part and bringing their dogs and carrying babies on their backs.

“It’s was a very blustery day but there was a really great atmosphere and we are just overjoyed.”

The charity has just started construction work on a £5m project to create Berkshire’s first children’s hospice at Snowball Hill in Woodlands Park.