LAST year's Potters 'Arf was the final outing Alison Hughes had with her father before he died of cancer.

She took her dad Bill Bailey to the race so they could support friend Gail Green, who was competing, and just days later he passed away.

This year, the race fell on the first anniversary of his death, and Alison decided to run it herself, along with Gail.

She hopes to have raised more than £500 for the Douglas Macmillan Hospice, in Blurton.

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Pictures from the Potters 'Arf 2009 Enlarge pictures

Alison, from Fenton, completed yesterday's race in three hours and five minutes. The 43-year-old civil servant said: "Because last year's race was the last time I took my dad out, and the fact it fell on the anniversary of his death this year, I felt I had to do it.

"When I got to King Street in Fenton, which is where I stood with my dad, it was very emotional but Gail was with me and got me through."

Gail, aged 42, from Cheadle, added: "We got each other through it. It's all about support and friendship."

The women are members of women's running group Potters Trotters, which had 36 ladies taking part in the race.

Another member, Karen Timmis, only took up running in February, but yesterday she was one of around 2,000 people who tackled the 13.1 mile course.

The 53-year-old criminal justice worker, from Milton, completed the race in two hours and 34 minutes to raise money for her son's friend, Ali Challinor. The 19-year-old, from Sneyd Green, has been in hospital since November with a brain tumour.

Karen said: "I've only been running since February so I was really nervous about doing a half-marathon. The furthest I've run before was 10 miles.

"I really enjoyed the race and it was very emotional at times.

"Ali has shown some improvement in the last few weeks, so we are hoping he will soon get well enough to have chemotherapy."

The fifth Potters 'Arf attracted a record number of entrants.

The course took competitors from the city centre, through Fenton, Heron Cross, Longton, Bentilee, Abbey Hulton, Milton, Baddeley Green and Sneyd Green before finishing back in Hanley.

Claire Edge, from Northwood, was running to raise money for her cousin's two-year-old daughter, who was diagnosed with leukaemia in March.

The 38-year-old came in at three hours and 19 minutes. She said: "It was difficult today because my daughter, Lucy Salmon, was auditioning for Stoke's Top Talent and I wanted to be there too."

Hundreds of spectators lined the streets to cheer the runners on.

Sam and Sandra Simpson, from Chesterton, were there to support their daughter Caroline. They were joined by Caroline's husband Mike, and her daughter Megan and niece Bethany, both aged 11.

Sandra, aged 63, said: "We think the race is a wonderful event."

Race organiser Don Shelley said: "The day was a real team effort. We've never had so many people run it and it went really well."