Best friends, Becky Carter and Maria Groves, dressed as a dinosaur and bumblebee, complete charity fun run from Dickleburgh to Rushall

A pair of best friends fought back tears as they completed a fun run, while dressed as a bumblebee and a dinosaur.

Becky Carter and Maria Groves, both 47, took on a two-and-a-half mile run from their home village of Dickleburgh to The Mariners Galley cafe and bistro in Rushall on April 19.

It has been a busy month for the pair, having completed the London Landmarks Half Marathon on April 6, raising hundreds of pounds for Mind, the mental health charity, as a result of their efforts.

Mrs Groves said: “We started running about a year ago, as Becky had recovered from breaking her hip and wanted to get fitter.

“We started with the couch to 5km, then did Race for Life, the half marathon and, to finish off our fundraising, thought it would be fun to do this.”

Mrs Carter, who also runs an annual Christmas fair for the charity, has a personal connection.

Her brother, Chris Seaman, died in September 2016 after struggling with his own mental health.

“We did the first fair the year he died,” she said. “I threw myself into it as I did not know how to deal with the grief. Ever since then, helping Mind has been really important.

On the run day, the friends did a lap of the village before making their way to Rushall – even getting invited to a children’s party along the route.

“There was a dinosaur-themed party going on, so, as soon as the children saw us, they came out and got us to come in,” said Mrs Groves.

“It has been really special to do these two runs with my best mate, who I have known since the age of nine. There were moments when we both got emotional.”

So far, both runners have raised around £1,500 each for the charity, which provides support, advice, and information to individuals and communities experiencing mental health challenges.

“We would both like to say a massive thank you to everyone that has supported us,” said Mrs Carter.

“We thought this would be a great end to this fundraising journey and it really has been. It has been amazing and it makes me so emotional when I think about just how many people have shown that they care.”

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