Last updated 19:25, Thursday, 20 November 2008

HUNDREDS of people road-tested the new A595 Distington bypass by taking part in a five-mile charity walk for Macmillan Cancer Support.

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READY FOR OFF: Inset, top right: Zoe, five, and Aaron Carter, seven, with Diana Harrison and Westie Molly, from Workington

Nearly 400 people took part in the event on Sunday. They had special permission to use the newly constructed two-and-a-half-mile bypass, which has yet to open to traffic.

Many of those taking part had personal reasons for supporting the charity, while others were attracted by the sunny weather and a chance to see the new road.

A percussion group helped to get the walkers in the mood, and rugby league players from Workington and Whitehaven put them through their paces with a welcome warm-up.

Some walkers turned out in fancy dress, with Superman, fairies and Beetlejuice characters among the costumes.

Distington police officer Adrian Braniff was one of those with a special reason for taking part.

He said: “This charity is close to my heart because I lost my mother. I have worked with the organisers from day one and it is a great turnout.”

Gillian Irvine, 45, of Northside, Workington, also had a personal reason for doing the walk.

She said: “I have family members who have died of cancer, and I think that most people will know somebody that has had cancer or has died from it. I have raised £40 in a couple of days, but it will be more by the time I see my other family members.”

Bob Currie, 45, of High Harrington, who has taken part in a number of previous fund raising events, said: “I have done a few walks before, but I really wanted to take a look at the road, and it is for a good cause.

“I have walked from Workington to Keswick before, so this is a breeze compared to that.”

A group of workers from West Coast Thermal, on Workington’s Derwent Howe industrial estate, pulled a Transit van along the route.

Company director Neil Murray said: “I received a leaflet about the walk and suggested to the lads that we should pull a van.”

The 11-strong team admitted beforehand that they had not done any practice, but still completed the five miles in one hour and 15 minutes.

Workington Transport Heritage Trust provided a vintage bus from the car park at Lakes College to the start line.

Barbara Sharpe, Macmillan fund-raising manager for Cumbria and Lancashire, was delighted with the day’s events.

She said: “We are really pleased with the turnout and we are going to raise a lot of money.

“We want to thank the Highways Agency and Morrison Construction, who have supported us 100 per cent.”

“We are absolutely delighted with the response and the weather has been great as well. We will know the final amount of money raised in the next two weeks.”

Bypass project manager Stephen Greenhalgh, who also took part in the walk, confirmed that the new road is due to open shortly before Christmas.

He added: “We’re really pleased with how the work on the road is progressing, and we expect to open the road to traffic in December.”

In 2002 Macmillan held a similar walk along the Stainburn bypass when more than 1,000 local people took part, raising over £16,000.