More than 1,000 runners finish the Ox5 run in aid of Oxford's Children's Hospital at Blenheim Palace

Teams of families and friends joined together in the 14th annual Ox5 Run with the aim of smashing the £100,000 raised last year.

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And bosses at the children's hospital hope the race next year - which is organised by the Oxford Mail - can break the £1million mark in cash made, which is used to fund medical equipment, toys, games and specialist nurses to help patients and also their families.

Eight-year-old Lucas Cox fired the starting klaxon to set off the runners.
At just nine days old the Didcot schoolboy was rushed to hospital for surgery on a deformed valve in his heart.

Aged three he was given pacemaker which now gives him a heartbeat and keeps him alive.

After setting off the race he said: "I really enjoyed that, it was really loud."

His dad David, 35, added: "It's a fantastic event, if the hospital hadn't diagnosed it then we wouldn't be here to day. This was our first year, but we are looking to more."

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This year's race winner was children's hospital physio Sam Bird, who finished in 30 minutes and 54 seconds, often works with many of the children treated.

The 29-year-old from Oxford added: "I was aiming for around 30 minutes but it's such a shock. The course is nice but it's very hilly.

"It's a lovely day and it's for a great cause. I have seen a lot of the kids at the hospital and to raise money for the hospital is great."

Hannah Hale, was the first women to cross the line in 32 minutes and 17 seconds.

The 29-year-old senior magnet engineer for Siemens, a firm which designs MRI scanners, ran with work colleges.

The keen runner, who is to take part in to London Marathon added: "It was a really lovely event and I really enjoyed it.

"We design MRI scanners so there's a health link and we got a good team of 10 to take part." 

The Woodstock-based event has rasied mroe than £850,000 for poorly children in the county since it began in 2003.

This year the Oxford Mail’s OX5 Run, sponsored by Allen Associates, attracted more than 1,160 sign-ups and it is hoped to beat last year's total of more than £100,000.

Over the past two years alone the fun run has paid for a family room in Paediatric Critical Care, support for speech therapy and entertainment for the youngsters.

Four-year-old Jack Wolstencroft-Stone, who launched the OX5 run in his superman costume in December, persuaded his mum Tracy to run in her own superhero outfit.

Jack suffers from painful juvenile arthritis but regular treatment from the hospital has helped him to run around as normal.

The cheeky chappy's mum pulled out all the stops and completed the course dressed as The Hulk in just over an hour.

The 33-year-old, from Banbury, said: "It was really hard but it feels so good to have done it.

"The hospital is like a second home for us and Jack loves it there - the staff have been amazing.

"There were so many people at Blenheim and it clearly means so much to a lot of people."

Top fundraisers Team Willpower, running for five-year-old William Gent, raised more than £4,000 for the charity.

The Bampton schoolboy is coming to the end of a twelve-week stay on Tom's Ward.

He was born with kypho-scoliosis, a condition which means his spine does not grow straight but has had lengthy treatment at the children's hospital and has surgery later this week. 

His mum Katy Gent said: "What made the day so special was that everyone was running for the same cause and there was a real sense of team spirit and unity.

"It's great that we have raised so much money for the staff that made sure William has has such a wonderful time during his stay."