Sea of Santas hits Reigate (From Redhill And Reigate Life)

Sea of Santas hits Reigate

1:36pm Monday 14th December 2009

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Around 250 Santas took to their heels in Priory Park, Reigate, in a sight that would make most people pinch themselves.

The sea of Santas were runners dressed in fitting festive garb for the first ever Mayor's Santa Run yesterday.

Organised jointly by Reigate and Banstead mayor Richard Mantle and the Reigate and Redhill YMCA, the one and three-mile fundraising runs around the park were aimed at local families wanting to get fit and festive this Christmas. All entrants received their own Santa suit. With fittingly chilly temperatures, the Father Christmases circuited the park in high spirits, with all proceeds going towards the YMCA’s work with children and young people.

Medals, mulled wine and mince pies were available for all finishers, and prizes were presented to the winners by Coun Mantle.

Mayoress Ruth Mantle, who completed the three-mile race, said: “Today has been everything we had hoped it would be, with Santas taking part of all ages and everyone having the best time. “We had so many entries that we completely ran out of Santa suits and I can see this becoming a popular annual event.”

The fastest Santa home in the adults’ three-mile race was Gavin Lawrence, with the YMCA’s chief executive Ian Burks second, the first adult lady finisher was Mira Siva, and 12-year-old Alice Chandler won the junior race, with ten-year-old Nathan Smith second.

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