MORE than 1,000 runners descended onto Marlow at the weekend for its annual five-mile race, including Cookham favourite Ulrika Jonsson.

The TV star, who was running the Marlow 5 for child victims of the Asian tsunami, joined training partner and fitness instructor Jenny Dawes at the starting line at 9.30am, in Higginson Park.

A record number of people took part in Sunday's event and Ulrika, 37, paid tribute to the mass of well-wishers who lined the streets.

Speaking exclusively to Midweek, the mother-of-three said: "I was so nervous but the crowd were great and gave me a real boost.

"They were cheering and saying go on mum'. I'm guessing it wasn't for me but it really spurred me on."

Ulrika, who ran the race for the Happy Child Foundation a charity who have set up an orphanage in Muang Mai, near Phuket, Thailand finished in 465th place alongside trainer, Jenny.

The two crossed the line after about 40 minutes and after a few hours rest were co-hosting an evening's charity entertainment at Claytons Lounge, in Oxford Road, Marlow.

More than £8,000 was raised during an auction with bids reaching as high as £1,250 for individual lots including a day at the races.

Marion Slator, owner of Claytons, said: "It was a wonderful evening and the amount we raised was well beyond expectations."

For the first time in its history 1,203 people finished the run and the first person to cross the line was a man who entered on the day.

John Downes, 37, finished the race in 25 minutes and 18 seconds and received the trophy along with John Lewis vouchers. European cross-country champion Hayley Yelling of Marlow was the first woman home and took the lady's title, while there were three other titles for team finishes.

Race organiser, Peter Edington, said: "Last year we had 938 runners so this was a dramatic improvement."