TWO energetic Trafford teachers , donned their running gear last weekend to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Richard Odell and Mark Edmondson, from Elmridge Primary School in Hale Barns both took part in the Great North Run through the streets of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

And they managed to raise £800 - including £500 raised by the pupils themselves, who had asked family and friends to sponsor their hard-working teachers.

Richard, who completed the race in two hours and one minute, said: "We sent out sponsorship forms to every pupil in the school and they responded really well.

"We've had lots of children come up to us saying that they saw us on TV and how proud they were. It's been a real community effort."

The two teachers began their training last November, but a lapse during the summer months meant that they were left with only five weeks intensive training before undertaking the 13 mile race.

Mark, who runs the school's cross-country club and lives in Hale, has run the race twice before, but admits that this time he found it a bit more difficult.

He said: "I wasn't as fit as I had been in previous years.

"You have to remember that the race is also very tough mentally and as you enter the last stages, all you can see is a long, straight road stretching up ahead of you, with thousands of people crawling up it like ants."

Despite this, Mark completed the course in a swift one hour and 32 minutes.

Richard added: "It was my first time and it was a fantastic experience.

"The weather was amazing. I'd heard that in previous years it had been pouring down, but we had glorious sunshine - we were even sunbathing at the starting line!

"The race was hard - but not too difficult to keep me away and we're definitely going to run again next year."