MORE than 200 runners pounded the track in this year’s Mercer Races, helping raise cash for the Millbrook Suite Appeal.

Sunday’s annual 10km event and 4km fun run were held in aid of the appeal to fund the refurbishment of Kidderminster Hospital’s cancer unit.

Organiser Richard Warder, a coach with Kidderminster and Stourport Athletic Club, which hosted the races, said: “The whole event went off very well indeed.

“We had a very good turnout, up on last year’s numbers, which is excellent bearing in mind all the road works going on in Stourport at the moment.

“The weather was kind to us - it got a little cloudy and cool for the start of the race, which was ideal for the runners.”

Mr Warder said there were plenty of runners making their debut, adding: “There were lot of people who ran and followed The Shuttle’s training plan and lots of people were running for the appeal.”

Although numbers were up this year, Mr Warder said the event could cater for up to 350 entrants, so he hoped more people would take part in 2010.

Sunday’s 10km men’s race was won by Matt Grainger, of Kidderminster and Stourport Athletic Club, in 32mins 29secs.

Halesowen’s Chris Penn came second in 33-49, ahead of Worcester’s Dave Hall in 34-29.

The winning woman was Lindsay Doyle, of Liverpool Pembroke and Sefton, in 40mins, with Bewdley Rowing Club’s Aimee Aspinall second in 41-43 and Helen Parish of Amazing Feet RC third with 43-56.

Joe Donkin, of Halesowen won the boys’ fun run in 14-16, with Sidney Roberts, of Kidderminster and Stourport coming second in 16-15 and Richard Harrison third in 17-11.

The girls’ race was won by Hanna Albut in 17-49, with Sophie Albut finishing second in 18-15. Third was Racheal (ok) Brown in 18-25.

Men’s veteran over 40, Darren Salisbury (Black Pear Joggers) 34-29; vet 45, Mark Pittaway (Royal Manor of Portland) 35-29; vet 50, Tim Bailey (Halesowen) 39-21; vet 60, Paul Allen (Halesowen) 41-57 Women’s vet 35, Catherine Mayall (Cobra) 44-46; vet 40 Louise Norgrove, 45-30; vet 45, Geradine Lynch (Amazing Feet) 47-27; vet 50, Joan Clarke (Stourbridge RC) 46-39; vet 60, Christine Steadman-Smith (Kidderminster and Stourport) 45-31.