Judo players swapped their throws for running strides in Oxford’s famous Town and Gown charity run.

Ten members of Oxford Judo pounded the streets of the university town during the 10km run for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.

Club coach Emma Burnett said: “We have been looking for something to do as a team for a while. I’m really excited. Most of us are competitive and run a little bit in general. It is very different from what most of us have done in the past.”

She joined head coach Chris Doherty and club members Chris Kennell, Abbie Clayton and Isobel Routledge and five others in the annual charity race.

The Town and Gown Run is in its 33rd year and has so far raised nearly £1.5m for the charity, which researches into treatments for muscle-wasting conditions.

Miss Burnett, 29, who works with the food cooperative Cultivate Oxford, said: “Until I signed up for this event, I had never run more than three kilometres. I’ve been increasing the distance every week I run through the streets of Oxford and do between five and 10 kilometres each time.”

Words by Donna Richardson.