RUNNERS dressed as bats, witches and ghouls gathered in a park at dusk for the district’s first ever Spooky Sprint.

The event in Waltham Abbey, which included 5k and 10k runs and a 1k children’s race, was organised by Parkinson’s UK, which funds research into the neurological disease and supports sufferers.

Lee Armitt, a spokesman for the charity who also helped out with the event, said the run at the River Lee Country Park in Highbridge Street had proved popular.

“There was a good turn-out,” he added. “There was a beautiful sunset before the race started.

“During the warm-up everyone was doing star jumps to Thriller by Michael Jackson.

“There were some wonderful costumes. One guy was dressed as a giant bat with bamboo sticks on the wings and two women were dressed as devils with red and black sparkly make-up.”

He said the charity was hoping to hold a similar run in the town next year.

The winners of the children’s race received soft toys shaped as brain cells, reflecting how the disease affects the mind.

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