THOUSANDS of women completed the Race for Life at North Weald Airfield last night.

More than 2,000 runners, joggers and walkers completed the 5km course, with the aim of raising a total of more than £230,000 for Cancer Research UK.

Among them was 59-year-old Ann Wilkinson from Princessfield Road, Upshire, who left her wheelchair to walk over the finish line, despite being told by doctors that she would never be able to walk without a Zimmer frame again because of her terminal cancer.

“It was quite a tear-jerking moment,” she said. “They called my number out over the tannoy and said that I was getting out of the wheelchair.”

She completed the walk with the help of her friend Carol Moya, who brought along colleagues from Epping Forest College in Loughton, and her own workmates at Tim Moya Associates in Harlow.

“I was determined to do the start and the finish line myself, so I pushed myself over the start line," said Mrs Wilkinson and at the very end, with the support of two of the girls, I got up and walked over the finish line.”

She suffers from breast cancer and secondary cancer and was told in October that she had about a year to live, but remains defiant.

“It’s about the beginning of October that the year runs out, but it’s not going to happen, simple as that, so I’m still undergoing treatment at the moment.” she said.

Other women who took part included three generations of a family running for their relative, Epping man Michael Vigus, who has been given the all-clear after suffering from lung and testicular cancer.

His mother, Iris Vigus, 74, said before starting the race: “We’re hoping we will help raise money for research to help other people.

“As long as we finish, we’ll be happy. It’s a really nice atmosphere, which helps.”

A group of about 25 pupils at Academy Arts Theatre School in Epping and their parents danced and sang their way around the course.

One of the school’s principles, Nina Jones, said: “Everyone has their own reason for running it. Two of our parents couldn’t make it because their mum is very unwell with cancer.”

The event’s organiser, Lucy Hynes, said: “We are really grateful to the women of Epping who helped make Race for Life such a huge success.

“This year’s event was full of amazing moments for everyone and the atmosphere on the day was electric.

“It was incredibly emotional seeing all the ‘back-signs’ showing why women were taking part – in memory or celebration of a loved one or to mark their own cancer journey.

"And it was also remarkably uplifting, seeing so many mums, daughters, grandmothers, sisters and friends come together for one cause – to beat cancer.”