Runners stood shoulder-to-shoulder to observe a minute’s silence in memory of a “peaceful” pensioner who was killed at her Marlow Bottom home last year.

The second annual 10k and 5k Burford Bolt, which was held on Sunday morning at Burford School in the village, remembered Tina Choules, 81.

The “lovely” pensioner was found dead on her lawn in Ragmans Lane on July 6, 2016 – sparking a murder investigation which saw a 23-year-old man charged.

With the inaugural Burford Bolt race planned to take place just weeks after her death – which rocked the community - race director Samantha Amend decided to continue with the event and hold it in her memory.

Once again, the event went “like clockwork” according to Samantha, with Olympic hero Greg Whyte starting the races and nearly 200 people taking part in the 5 and 10k.

Alex Miller was first across the finish line in the 10k race, with a time of 37 minutes and five seconds, Ben Sendall was second in 38 minutes and 41 seconds and Graham Smith in third with 39 minutes and 31 seconds.  

The first female to finish was Lucy Rogers, with a time of 43 minutes and 37 seconds. She was closely followed by Lesley Whiley with a time of 48 minutes and 53 seconds, and Debbie Channer, who crossed the line in 50 minutes and 46 seconds.  

The 5k male and female winners were Zac Randall with a time of 17 minutes and 38 seconds and Nicki Johnson who finished in 22 minutes and 54 seconds.

Burford School pupils Isaac Rincon and Olivia Fyfe were fun run winners.

Remembering the “strong and independent” Tina Choules, Samantha added: “When I talk about her death I still feel very emotional. She was so strong, she was 81 but you never would have believed it.

"She was quite remote on her own up there but we would see her in the woods regularly. She was so strong and independent. She loved the woods but she was happy to share them.

"Last year when I was organising the first ever race, I checked with Tina before that she was happy for the race to go through the woods and she was.

"I think she could have easily kept going for another ten years but she tragically lost her life.

“It’s nice to have her be a part of it, because I'm sure that if she was here she would be watching the race.”