HUNDREDS of people joined a fundraising race in memory of a woman who raised almost £50,000 for charity while battling cancer

Police officer Kirste Bowman died in 2012, at the age of just 42 after raising money for breast cancer charities by running 23 marathons while fighting the disease.

She joined Benfleet Running Club in 2001 and throughout her treatment, she never stopped going to the club, and would train most days.

She grew up in Rochford and later moved to Fairview Close, Benfleet.

She served out of police stations in Southend, Leigh, Rayleigh, Basildon, and finally Chelmsford.

Yesterday the Kirste 5 Memorial Race took place in the Grove Wood School in Rayleigh.

Participants took part in the Kirste 1-mile family Run and Kirste 5 Walk

Graham Douglas, a member of the running club who helps to organise the race, said: “Kirste ran for the Benfleet Running Club for many years and ran through the whole of her treatment.

“The memorial run is very dear to a lot of the founding members of the club.

“It was a momentous achievement raising all that money while having treatment.”

The money raised by Ms Bowman was for Southend Hospital’s Bosom Pals appeal and Macmillan nurses and the run continues to raise funds for the two charities.

Now in its fifth year, it has raised more than £20,000 and the weekend will have boosted that total.

Mr Douglas said: “We always do a pre-race night curry evening and we did two events this year so we were already on £1,300 before the race, so it should be a really good year for us.

“There was a junior race that goes first and there were about 20 runners aged up to 14 and then it’s the 15-80 for the main race.

“A lot of people dressed up and there was a lot of pink. I didn’t know Kirste personally but apparently she was a very pink lady and it typified her bright outlook on life.

“Lots of men came dressed in bright, sparkly vests and tutus.

“It all went very well. I’m not sure exactly how many people we had turn up. Everyone was very glad that didn’t have the same weather that we had for the last two years when we had storms and hurricanes.

“It was very well attended.

“We have raised somewhere near £30,000 in the five years that we have been running it so it’s definitely a successful event.”

Bosom Pals was formed in 1991 as a support group for patients diagnosed with breast cancer or undergoing treatment.

The organisation actively fundraises to support breast care services at Southend Hospital.

Bosom Pals has raised more than £400,000 to date for the breast unit and helped to purchase two digital mammography machines at he hospital.