MORE than 200 runners and a DUMMY turned out for this year s Royston Fun Run. The dummy – otherwise known as Rob – was carried around the 3km course on Therfield Heath by mother and daughter, Patsy Thomasson and Harriet Thomasson. It is the third year the

MORE than 200 runners and a DUMMY turned out for this year's Royston Fun Run.

The dummy - otherwise known as Rob - was carried around the 3km course on Therfield Heath by mother and daughter, Patsy Thomasson and Harriet Thomasson.

It is the third year the mother and daughter have come up with a costume for the event.

Last year they had a one-piece costume which meant going around the course three-legged, and two years ago they were dressed as convicts and carried a ball and chain.

Race director Maurice Hill said: "This year we saw again that this has really become a community event.

"Everything seemed to run without any problems," he said.

The event - which was sponsored by The Crow and Royston-based Saffron Insurance - had to be postponed two weeks ago because of weather conditions when early morning snow covered the heath.

"It would have been wrong to run it in those conditions, but at least it gave people another two weeks to enter," said Mr Hill.

Organisers were worried, too, that the number of entries may be down because of the early Easter break.

"The numbers may have been down on last year, but the event was still an overwhelming success."

The run showed again that it has become a key community event with runners from schools, parents and children and a large contingent from the Royston Runners' young section, the Royston Crows, taking part.

And it was a Royston Crows runner, Bruce Harrison, who led the event home in a time of 11 min 35 sec, just ahead of Edward Perrin and Gus Rees, who run for the Royston Crows, too.