More than 150 Father Christmasses painted Debden and Loughton red and white for the annual St Clare Hospice Santa Run on December 2.

Now in its fifth year, the run started at Geraldine’s Hair Fashions salon on The Broadway in Debden, the business of event organiser Geraldine Wilson.

Participants set off at 12.30pm and followed a route to Loughton High Road and back.

Around £6,500 was raised through the event, which is enough to pay for more than a week’s worth of patient and family support service – a team made up of social workers, bereavement counsellors, a children and family therapist, and a chaplain.

The winners in the team category were members of the Orion Harriers, a Chingford-based running club.

Ms Wilson said: “It is my pleasure to organise the Santa Run in Debden every year, in aid of St Clare.

"I know what a difference St Clare makes to so many local families, at such a difficult time in people’s lives, and so many people say that they wouldn’t have been able to cope if it wasn’t for St Clare.

"So it is so important to me that we find a way, as a community, to give something back to St Clare so that they can be there for everyone who needs them in the future.

“The whole of Debden comes together to support the event – donating auction and raffle prizes, and even entering teams to join the run."

Since it began in 2014 the run has raised more than £40,000 for St Clare.