RUNNING friends were literally dropped right in it when they took on a charity fundraiser.

The six women from Davenham Running Buddies ended up wet and muddy after their Pretty Muddy challenge at Tatton Park.

The event was great fun, and the friends smashed their target, doubling the £100 which they hoped to raise for Cancer Research UK.

Julie Rarity, Louise Smith, Vicki Wright, Yvette Heatley, Janet Rourke and Kathryn Alexander took on a 5k obstacle course, which involved involved scrambling over an A-frame and crawling through a mud pit.

“It went really well, and was great fun,” said Julie.

“It was very wet and muddy, and we would like to thank everyone who sponsored us.

“We were all there to support each other and enjoyed the company of the group. There was a mud slide at the end which dropped us right into a muddy bath.”

Cancer Research UK is a charity close to Julie’s heart. Julie is a nurse at St Luke’s Hospice, and her mum Eileen Maines, 66, was diagnosed recently with lung cancer.

The Running Buddies have raised £200, and anyone who would like to support them can visit justgiving.com/fundraising/Lou-Smith7

Julie set up Davenham Running Buddies three years ago when she was training for her first marathon.

“We have 117 members, all running from 5k to ultra marathon, getting people to achieve goals they never thought possible,” she said.

“The way members motivate and encourage others is what makes the group so successful. This was the third year we have taken part in Pretty Muddy – it’s addictive.”