Video and pictures: Can you spot yourself at Leeds Abbey Dash?

About 12,000 people had signed up for the 10km race, which took participants from Wellington Street in the city centre to Kirkstall Abbey and back, finishing at the town hall.

And the vast majority made it to the start line despite the wet and windy conditions.

The event was expected to raise about £300,000 for Age UK.

Lydia Curran, head of events for the charity, said she was feeling "chipper" ahead of the race as the rain poured down on runners warming up in the car park off Little Queen Street.

"We've had much worse than this," she said. "If it was dangerous to go ahead then of course we wouldn't, but we've taken lots of advice and we're happy that it's fine. It's no problem.

"There's some hardy people out here.

"We normally have a 10 per cent drop-out anyway. Whether that will be a little bit more I don't know but people might feel especially determined to get out and run.

She said the run was hugely significant for the charity, adding: "We are raising tons of money. It also gets our message out - at the moment we're talking about lonely people who live on your street and we just want people to get out and speak to them."

The race was officially started by Emmerdale actress Michelle Hardwick, who plays Vanessa Woodfield in the ITV soap.

She said: "I've got my waterproofs on, I'm not expecting a personal best - it depends which way the wind blows.

"My grandma is one of my best friends and she's 91. I was with my other grandparents last night and the last thing my granddad said to me was 'Just remember, you can do it for me', so I couldn't not do it."

The winner of the men's race was 23-year-old Dan Studley, of Bristol, who finished in a time of 29 minutes 43 seconds.

The women's race was won by Charlotte Arter, from Cumbria, in a time of 33:02.