RAIN failed to deter almost 1,000 women and young girls who gathered at West Park yesterday morning for the ninth Race for Life, in aid of cancer research.

One of the best-supported of the events since it was first staged in the Island, the programme went ahead and proved to be a big success despite the wet and unpleasant conditions which plagued the day.

Elsewhere in Britain yesterday a further 15 Race for Life events took place which also attracted a large number of supporters.

Last year’s event in Jersey raised £46,000 and it was hoped that yesterday’s efforts will have matched that result.

Determined to make the 2005 giant gathering of women and its very special cause a great success, those taking part sported plenty of smiles and concentrated on putting in the miles as their contribution to the cause.

Umbrellas and hoods were raised as they followed the warm-up work-out led by Lisa Troy, of Fitness First.

There to encourage the women to forget about the weather was compère Robbie Donnelly, of Channel 103, who kept entrants in the picture about the programme.

A minute’s silence took place in memory of those who had lost the battle against cancer.