A WHOLE family of pigs, two human bunches of grapes, two Pokemon and four friends dressed as a boat were among the hundreds of costumed crusaders who ran two laps of Oxford's University Parks yesterday morning.

Spiderman, the Queen of Hearts and a baby dragon also joined the sponsored silliness at the 2017 Oxford Rotary Club fun run as this beautiful gallery by photographer Arabella Packford shows (click through the photos above).

In total, an estimated 400 people pelted 5km around the park raising money for scores of charities including Oxford's Sobell House Hospice, Oxfordshire childhood bereavement support charity Seesaw, and reading campaign Arch.

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Among the most fancily-dressed in this year's line-up were a team from Worthing Christian charity group Storm, who came dressed as the Dawn Treader from CS Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia - particularly appropriate for Oxford, although they nick-named their vessel the 'Storm Treader'.

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A team from Bournemouth's Capital English language school came in a variety of exotic costumes, including two Pokemon, two human bunches of grapes, and various other silly wigs and outfits.

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Mike Doran from Southmoor near Abingdon works at Carter Jonas estate agents in Summertown and volunteered to run the entire race in the 'Carter Jonas Bear' costume without any particular training.

Asked how he was feeling the 32-year-old said: "Warm".

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Six-year-old Solomon Wood from Jericho took on the charity challenge for the first time with his mum, dad, and little sister.

He said: "We're just doing it for a bit of fun."

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Former Oxford East Labour MP Andrew Smith - who stepped down this year - blew the starter horn at 11am as he has done every year since, he said, 'about 1998'.

As he watched the stampede of costumed characters speed off around the park he said: "I first got involved because it was in association with Pathway Workshop in Blackbird Leys, which I'm a patron of, but it's really just a fantastic Rotary event, and it's getting bigger and better every year."

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Last year's runners raised £14,000 for a wide variety of charities.

Runners pay £10 to enter (£30 for a family of four) and the Rotary Club then divvies up the kitty between their chosen charities.

Runners can also raise as much sponsorship as they want.

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Tongue-in-cheek trophies are also presented each year, including for the title of 'sartorial stroller' - the best-dressed competitor who walks the course (often because their costume won't allow them to run).

After the race was run, the rotary club cooked 700 sausages for the hungry challengers.

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