A STOURBRIDGE park will be awash with more than 700 Santas this weekend when the town's hospice stages its annual festive fundraiser.

The Mary Stevens Hospice Santa Jog will take place in Mary Stevens Park, Norton, on Sunday December 10 to help raise money for the Stourbridge charity and its work with families battling the impact of conditions such as cancer and motor neurone disease.

Last year a record 600 people donned their Santa suits to take part in the 5K fun run - which this year has seen an incredible 700 charity fundraisers register for.

Amanda Bowen, event organiser at the hospice, said: “We're overwhelmed by the response this year and to have beaten the record number of participants by more than 100 people is just staggering.

"We've added food stalls, more live music and a family fun day so the event is more enjoyable for participants and spectators, and it also means they can stay in the park for a little while after the jog to enjoy everything going on with their families and friends.

"It's shaping up to be a fantastic family day out, and we can't wait to see a sea of 700 Santas taking over Mary Stevens Park."

Charlotte Schofield, head of fundraising and lottery at Mary Stevens Hospice, said: "It's a special atmosphere every year, and we know our 700 Santas are going to absolutely love it."

And she added: "This is a crucial time for the hospice as we look to expand our service to meet the ever-growing need of our community and we simply can't thank everyone who has signed up enough for their support in making care available to more and more local families in their time of greatest need."