Hundreds of runners in red have dashed through east London’s Victoria Park focussed on their target to raise £50,000 for medical research.

East London Advertiser: They're off! 700 runners dash through Vicky Park in British Heart Foundation's annual runThey're off! 700 runners dash through Vicky Park in British Heart Foundation's annual run (Image: BHF)

Some 700 volunteers donned the red T-shirt for the British Heart Foundation’s annual sponsored run for donations to research into coronary heart disease, Britain’s single biggest fatal illness, running between one killometre and up to 10k around the track.

“We get no state funding,” the charity’s Leanne Postlethwaite explained. “It’s entirely supporters who pay for our life-saving research.

“But we’re hoping to bust our £50,000 target this year to help beat heart disease.”

Coronary disease is “not beaten yet”, the charity points out. It remains the single biggest cause of death, needing urgent investment to find a cure.

East London Advertiser: They're off! 700 runners dash through Vicky Park in British Heart Foundation's annual runThey're off! 700 runners dash through Vicky Park in British Heart Foundation's annual run (Image: BHF)

The British Heart Foundation has 60 sponsored events every year, including off-road bike rides and swimming, as well as the annual Victoria Park run.