Hundreds turn out for Falmouth half marathon in aid of Cornish hospice

Around 750 runners have completed the 13.1 mile 'Run Falmouth' half marathon along the town's seafront, in aid of a Cornish hospice charity.

The challenging course took the athletes around Pendennis Head, through Swanpool and Maenporth and past the village of Mawnan Smith.

Run Falmouth 2024 is the 4th event in the Cornwall Road Running Grand Prix Race series.

It's arranged and managed by Cornwall Hospice Care with support from the Falmouth Road Runners.

This year, the event raised over £30,000 for the charity.

Cornwall Hospice Care's events and community Manager Jane Appleton said: "We have two hospices in Cornwall, there's Mount Edgecumbe in St Austell and St Julia's in Hayle and the money stays in Cornwall.

"It directly funds those two buildings and the nurses within them, so the money raised here today will be making sure our patients are cared for."

The Run Falmouth 2024 route takes place entirely on the road and followed the undulating Cornish country lanes, as well as offering runners some spectacular sea views.

The downside, says Jane, is the area's challenging hills.

She told ITV News West Country: "Falmouth is known for one or two hills and some of the runners will be not quite so happy with me when they run up through Maenporth.

"But, it is lovely, and for every uphill there's a downhill, and we've got lots of support on the course with people manning water stations."

The event was well supported by spectators too, as hundreds of locals from Falmouth and the surrounding villages came out to cheer runners on.

The fastest runner Neil Eddy managed to complete the 13.1 mile course in just one hour and fifteen minutes.