Colchester Castle parkrun - a weekly community event in pictures

In fact, the welcoming of walkers, joggers, and runners of all abilities is one of parkrun’s key features, and the scene was no different on a damp autumn Saturday morning at Colchester Castle Park.

Ready – runners gather on the start line (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest) Though the conditions were soggy underfoot, it takes a lot to deter parkrunners from their weekly ritual.

More than 350 people turned out on the start line to get their weekend off to a flying start.

Volunteer – Sue Cross is the co-director of Colchester Castle parkrun (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest)

Setting up at the bandstand long before the runners arrive is Sue Cross, 59, the event director who decided to get more involved in the parkrun when she stepped back from playing hockey.

She said: “I was a hockey player for Colchester ladies for many, many years and I came and ran in the summer to keep fit – that's how it started.

Involved – Ben Plummer organises all the volunteers (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest) “I do like to be involved in things – it's a lovely community parkrun, and it’s the same wherever you go.”

She is keen to point out there is even one in Malaysia, which she ran when she was on holiday earlier this year.

Briefing – Sue Cross runs through some announcements before the race gets underway (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest)

Along with Mrs Cross are another 29 volunteers who marshal the 5k course, which starts and ends at the bandstand and leads runners on four loops of Castle Park.

Directions – Ed Page points the runners to different laps of the course (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest)

One of them is Ben Plummer, the volunteer co-ordinator who is busily handing out pink vests to volunteers and ticking off names on his clipboard.

Helper – Eric Shaw, better known as 'mad gate Eric' gets ready to direct runners at a sharp turn (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest) Like Mrs Cross, Mr Plummer, 27, got involved when his original sport fell by the wayside.

He said: “I started parkrun when I was at university, then I got injured playing football.

Winner – Danny Millward is the first home in the damp conditions (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest) “I got more involved in the volunteering side because of that – then I just enjoyed it so much since then.

Milestone – Andy Thompson finishes his 250th parkrun (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest) “It's the whole community thing – you get to know people.”

Pleased – first female finisher Victoria Primmer is a familiar face on Saturday mornings (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest) The recurring theme is just how well everyone gets along – the event is as much a social one as it is a physical one, which is perhaps why it has become so successful internationally.

It’s therefore little surprise that hundreds of people keep coming back.