A RECORD number of runners took part in the Penn Seven yesterday with just one technical hitch as the clock recording the finishing times stopped working.

As the winner of the seven mile road race Matthew Bennett crossed the finishing line the clock started to show random numbers and runners were asked to try and record their own times.

The 27th Penn Seven which starts and finishes at Tylers Green Common saw 343 competitors take part and aims to raise £10,000. Sandra Reynolds was the first woman to finish.

The money raised this year will go towards Aces Wheelchair Basketball Club which was established in 1984 and has grown into the largest and most successful wheelchair basketball club in the country Chairman of the organising committee Phil Duffy said: “We choose a cause that people locally would relate to and that they are prepared to donate to.

“They needed wheelchairs for the young players which is something tangible we can raise funds for.”

It was the first year that Elaine Cullip of Ashley Drive did not run on the day. She has run for the past 26 years but today cheered people on from her garden as they ran past.

In the children's mini marathons the first five-year-old boy to finish was Kile Cogan and the first girl was Ruby Moule.

For year six Matthew Hawes and Millie Hughes finished first and for year seven Kane Patterson and Leanna Adams were the winners.

The three mile super fun run kicked off at 2.30pm as the sun came out from behind the clouds.

Fourteen-year-old Matthew Axe was the clear winner. Matthew, who goes to William Ramsey School, said it was “very hard” but did not know how fast he did it in as he left his watch at school.

Lucy Taylor, 21, was the first lady to finish and to celebrate Father's Day there was a special trophy for the first father and child to cross the finish line holding hands who was Derek Humphrey, 50 and his son Ben, 12.

Ben's brother, Andrew, 15 came 9th. Mr Humphrey said: “We try to run together. We always say next year we will try and run a bit more.

“I used to be a regular runner. It feels nice to win the trophy today.”