BERE Alston Trekkers (Bats) celebrated its ninth birthday and to mark the occasion a number of club members met for a fun run on the Moor. 

Since the club started in 2003, the Bats have grown to a club of almost 50 members of mixed abilities. Bats have run literally thousands of miles, entered hundreds of races and raised more than £10,000 for various charities.

Club chair Dotty Allan likens the club to an acorn that has grown and continues to grow into a strong oak that puts community at the heart of everything that it does.

The club is fully inclusive and welcomes senior runners of any ability, age, shape or size at any time of the year.

Starting at Norsworthy Bridge, the Bats battled the heavy rain and strong winds to wade through puddles, pull their feet out of mud, scramble up and down banks and cross streams, helping each other every step of the way to run four miles together living up to the club slogan of 'Bats do it in all weathers.'

At the end of the run there were an array of home baked cakes that were shared not only with the Bats but with a group of Royal Marines who were training around Burrator and glad to stop and join the Bats for some refreshment.