A CROWD of Father Christmases, reindeer and men with turkeys on their heads ran across the beach in blustery weather for Broad Haven’s Christmas Pudding Run this weekend.

The annual 10k run saw 300 take part, starting at Broad Haven beach before running north along the coast road and looping back to the beach again, on Sunday, December 9.

Runners were encouraged to dress in Christmas-themed costumes for the race and were given a helping of Christmas pudding and a medal at the finish line.

“It has taken off massively this year,” said race organiser Hazel Rudder.

“Tickets went on sale in September and by early October they were all gone.”

The money raised by the run is still being counted, but will be donated to charities and causes with local connections.

This includes Broad Haven playgroup, the Friends of Broad Haven School and Prostate Cymru, a nationwide organisation which supports men living with prostate cancer and their families.

A donation is also being made in Surfers Against Sewage in memory of Rory Bernays, a local man who died in October following a windsurfing accident.

“We thought it would be nice to do as a community to donate to surfers against sewage in his memory,” said Hazel.

A litter pick was also held before the race in association with Surfers Against Sewage and crowds at the event also bore witness to the official launch of Broad and Little Haven’s plastic-free communities’ initiative.

This scheme will see the two communities try to reduce their use of single use plastics in an effort to prevent the spread of manmade waste in the ocean.

A children’s Christmas Pudding Run also took place after the adult’s event, with entrants from toddlers up to 15-year-olds taking part in a shorter race along the beach.

The organisers of the run would like to thank local businesses who sponsored the event and the Ocean Café bar for hosting it.