The start of the 10km dash

A horde of Santas appeared on Clapham Common on December 4 for the London Santa Dash.

The event hosted by Great Ormond Street Hospital was organised to raise money for the charity and had gathered nearly £300,000 by the start of the race. The Dash had over 3,000 runners.

The course took a winding route around the common, letting runners see some great views of the famous park. The centre of the event was the bandstand, which had a brass band providing entertainment for any spectators braving the cold morning.

Each entrant was provided a Santa suit to wear during the race, creating a sea of Santas as they made their way around the course. Runners could choose from a 5km run or a 10km run, but everyone got a medal, mulled drink and mince pies.

Santa as you have never seen him before

One runner brought along his own Santa suit that wasn’t quite appropriate for the frosty morning. Though he did get a lot of support from the crowd to help him forget about the cold.

The money raised from the event will go to helping more children, developing the hospital, and funding new research. Find out more about Great Ormond Street Hospital’s funding here.