ALMOST 200 runners took to the start line in Dunbar’s first parkrun.

The non-competitive five-kilometre run takes place each Saturday morning, leaving from Hallhill Sports Centre.

The Lochend Woods Parkrun is the second parkrun in East Lothian, following on the heels of a similar event at Meadowmill, near Tranent.

Lynne Lewis, event director, was delighted with the turnout at the first event and said: “It was fantastic.

“The weather was perfect, which was a big contrast to the week before.

“We had 192 people there on Saturday and probably about 70 of them were parkrun tourists.

“They came from different parts of Scotland to give it a whirl but the bulk of the runners, about 110, had never done a parkrun before and were totally new to the concept, which is really what it is all about.

“We were delighted with that.”

Now, the organisers are hoping to build up a group of volunteers to help marshall the event, which attracted runners from school age right through to participants in their 70s.

Although not a race, the quickest person over the course was local 12-year-old Corey Campbell, who finished in a time of 18m31s.

Parkrun was formed in England more than 15 years ago by a group of friends who met each weekend for a jog.

Since then, the event has spread throughout the country, with more than 600 parkruns now taking place each weekend.

Both of the East Lothian events get under way at 9.30am each Saturday morning, with participants able to walk or jog the route.