SPECTATORS were outraged when they went along to support a run in aid of cancer and were charged £4.

Only a handful went along to watch the 10k Cancer Research run last Sunday in the grounds of stately home Kingston Lacy, near Wimborne.

The organisers say it was because of the wet and windy weather but family and friends of runners believe it was more to do with the entrance charge.

Theresa Jeanes, 40, went along with her eight-year-old child, her 65-year-old mother and the 72-year-old mother of her partner.

They went to support her partner, Richard Ballantine, 44, in the race. Only the child was let in at the reduced rate of £2.

She said: "We were shocked. We thought with the registration of £17.50, the £105 my partner raised and the work he put in, it was quite enough.

"There were quite a few spectators who refused to pay. It was wet and windy and I'm sure a lot of people would have just waited in their cars."

Cancer Research organiser Hannah Wilding said: "We didn't have many spectators but it was because of the weather.

"The National Trust is a charity. Spectators had to pay £4 but that allowed them to look at the grounds. It was on the website."

But Jane Plumb, from Cheshire, said: "I had come down from Liverpool to take part and despite the terrible weather some of my family and friends came along.

"As my friends pointed out, they had seen the gardens on numerous other occasions but on this particular day they were supporting a friend doing a charity run."

She added: "We are all absolutely disgusted this charge was made - I have taken part in other charity runs and no charge for supporters has ever been made at these races."

Alex Brannen, spokesman for the National Trust, said: "There were lots of other places on the route where people could have parked and followed the race for nothing.

"Kingston Lacy is a charity. It's how we raise money for conservation."

He added: "It would have been hard to distinguish at the entrance between spectators and people who wanted to see the grounds."

First published: November 5