MEMBERS of Dudley Kingswinford Running Club raised hundreds of pounds for Russells Hall Hospital and Mary Stevens Hospice on eight-mile 'Cob Run' in memory of a much-missed member of their team who died last year.

The runners took on the annual 'Cob Run' from their Wall Heath clubhouse to The Anchor Inn in Caunsall in memory of long-standing club member John Glover who passed away in 2019.

They pounded a route along the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal to the pub on August 23, to mark what would have been John's birthday.

The annual run is named after the pub's famous ham, beef and cheese cobs and has been a fundraising challenge for the club for the past seven years.

The run was delayed this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but organiser John Gould was determined to bring it back with social distancing measures in place as a commemoration to John.

Paying tribute to Mr Glover, John Gould said: "John Glover was a very dear friend of mine. I thought it would be fitting to raise money this year for the people who looked after John.

"We were delighted with the turn out, behaviour and donations of our runners on Sunday, including donations from members unable to attend. We raised £421.70 which will be split equally between Mary Stevens Hospice and the Georgina Ward at Russells Hall Hospital."

Following safety rules, the runners organised themselves into groups of no more than six and left their clubhouse at staggered intervals from 9am.

Each runner paid £10 to take part in the event with proceeds donated to two charities which meant a lot to John Glover and his wife Beryl: the Georgina Ward at Russells Hall Hospital and Stourbridge’s Mary Stevens Hospice.

The Anchor Inn also donated £50 towards the fund effort as well as adding cobs and drinks to raffle prizes and the group managed to raise £420 for the the two charities, with more than 30 runners taking part.

The Hoops have already booked The Anchor Inn for next year's Cob Run to return for 2021.