Six hundred and fifty people helped raise £76,000 for an Oxfordshire hospice by taking to the streets after dark.

They walked 12-and-a-half miles around the streets of Banbury in the second annual midnight walk in aid of Katharine House hospice, in Adderbury.

The walkers took part in an aerobic warm-up at Banbury Rugby Club, in Oxford Road, before marathon runners Lisa Gregory, Peter Beasley and Oliver Davies cut the ribbon and everyone, accompanied by music, headed out to the streets.

Hundreds of balloons in memory of someone special were also released.

Neil Gadsby, hospice chairman, presented medals to the finishers.

He said: "I witnessed an amazing sense of community and support for the hospice - it was a brilliant event."

Sue Lane, fundraising co- ordinator, said: "It was very special to witness 650 people waving their arms in the air, enjoying the music and the build up to the walk."

She added: "We were thrilled that 150 volunteers came forward to help in so many valuable ways from registering walkers, marshalling the route and water-points to cooking 800 bacon baps and blowing up 650 balloons. We could not have held the event without these volunteers."

Josh Nadin, 16, a student at Chenderit School, in Middleton Cheney, enjoyed helping out so much last year that he was one of the first to sign up for the event.

He worked from 10pm to 5am serving drinks and helping to cook the burgers.

He said: "It's good to contribute to an event raising money which will benefit patients at Katharine House."

Walker Hazel Pape, of Mollington, said: "I have never done anything like this before so I didn't know what to expect.

"It was brilliant from the start - the friendly welcome and the disco certainly warmed me up.

"Twelve-and-a-half miles seemed pretty daunting to a 67-year-old who hasn't done much walking before, but thanks to the excellent planning and the friendly marshals encouraging us along the way, the experience was one to remember - and after the aches and pains have died down, one to repeat next year."