Record-breaking crowds have flocked to a Carlisle park to mark the 70th anniversary of the NHS.

Saturday morning's regular free parkrun in Chances Park, Morton was taken over by NHS employees and anyone who wanted to pop along to say thanks for the nation's health service.

So simple and popular was the idea from regular Carlisle parkrunner Nicola Jackson that word spread among the movement and other NHS organisations and it was adopted by some 360 parkruns across the UK, including Workington and Millom in Cumbria.

Around 85,000 people were expected to take part in one of the #NHS70parkrun events around the country. Some 380 were in Carlisle, a record-breaking attendance for the city event.

The anniversary celebration was also a milestone for several of those taking part.

Tracey Anderson, 53, has worked in the NHS since she was 18.

On Saturday Tracey, a healthcare assistant at the Cumberland Infirmary, was taking part in her 100th parkrun.

She said: "I can't believe I'm here and in scrubs. I never thought I'd still be doing parkrun now after coming along for the first time a couple of years ago. I'd never ran before.

"No-one bothers how fast or slow you're going and everyone cheers you on."

Cumbria's director of public health Colin Cox was among those taking part for the first time.

Addressing the hundreds who had gathered before the 9am start, he said: "The best gift you can give the NHS is to stay active and parkrun is a great way to do that. If parkrun was a pill everyone would want it."

* See Monday's News & Star for further coverage and pictures