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RECORD NUMBERS AS OVER 11,000 TAKE PART IN ANNUAL CHARITY SANTA DASH

- By JONATHAN BLACKBURN

MORE than 11,000 people took part in yesterday's Santa Dash - the largest of its kind in the UK and the biggest ever, with 2,500 more runners than last year.

Around 1,000 blue Santas took part, the largest number since the five kilometre event began in 2004, as well as more than 600 children.

A team of 120 from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service took part, many in their firefighter's uniforms.

The Pier Head was packed with runners with a queue stretching from the ferry terminal to the Museum of Liverpool.

The youngest participant was Luca McGreary, aged five months, who took on the course in his pram with mum Jules McGreary, 30.

The oldest runner was 88-year-old David Bliss.

The race was started at 9.30am by Lord Mayor Barbara Murray.

By 10am there were still thousands on the Pier Head eagerly waiting to start the race.