CHILDREN, parents and staff from a Bewdley primary school took the plunge into mud at a race in Herefordshire.

Fifty-eight participants representing St Anne’s Primary School took part in the Mudrunner race, a 5km cross country course through a Land Rover testing site, at Eastnor Castle.

Teacher Linda Withey said: “It’s very muddy, there’s puddles and ditches and obstacles.

“The parents were worried as they have to run with their children if they were under eight years old. Some of the parents even started a running club so they could keep up with the kids.

“The younger children had to be carried through some of the mud and swamps. All of them loved it.”

The top three runners from St Anne’s were Libby Hawkswell, Alfie Carpenter and Matthew Gates.

Miss Withey has been taking part in the Mudrunner for the last few years and last year, she took 14 children to take part in the junior race.

She added: “Thanks to the kudos that the 14 children got when they went back into school with their t-shirts and medals, we were overwhelmed by the number of children wanting to take part this year. Next year, we’re aiming for 100.

“The children have written some fantastic poems and recounts. They said it was ‘the best thing ever’ and they ‘never knew you could have so much fun in mud’.

“It’s to encourage children to enjoy sport and to have fun and compete although it doesn’t matter if they came first or last.”