Tavistock Athletic Club track was a sea of purple on Sunday as 427 primary school children from 21 local schools turned out in perfect weather to take part in the Primary Schools Challenge.

For the past three months the pupils have been running a mile per week and Sunday's event, organised by Tavistock Athletic Club (TAC) and OCRA (Okehampton Community Recreation Association), saw them celebrating their thirteenth mile (cumulatively a half marathon) by running from the track around Tavistock College.

Town Mayor Paul Ward hand out medals to every finisher in three age group races.

TAC said: “The aim of the event is to promote a life-long love of running and being active - an early positive relationship with being active will stay with them throughout their lives.

“We thank all the schools and parents that supported this event and the many volunteers who helped make the event a tremendous success.”

Tavistock Primary Schools Challenge - years 3-4 runners. Picture by Andy Hughes.
Tavistock Primary Schools Challenge - years 3-4 runners. Picture by Andy Hughes. (Andy Hughes.)
Tavistock Primary Schools Challenge - years 5-6 runners. Picture by Andy Hughes.
Tavistock Primary Schools Challenge - years 5-6 runners. Picture by Andy Hughes. (Andy Hughes.)
Eira Moyse (Horrabridge Primary) first girl in years 0-2 race of Tavistock Primary Schools Challenge.
Eira Moyse (Horrabridge Primary) first girl in years 0-2 race of Tavistock Primary Schools Challenge. (Eira Moyse (Horrabridge Primary) first girl in years 0-2 race of Tavistock Prim)
Seth Gibbs (Whitchurch Primary) winner of the Tavistock Primary Schools Challenge years 5-6 race.
Seth Gibbs (Whitchurch Primary) winner of the Tavistock Primary Schools Challenge years 5-6 race. (Andy Hughes - TAC)
A purple celebration of Tavistock Athletic Club's Primary Schools Challenge - years 3-4 start.
A purple celebration of Tavistock Athletic Club's Tavistock Primary Schools Challenge - years 3-4 start. (Andy Hughes - TAC)
Tavistock Athletic Club's Primary School Challenge marks its thirteenth monthly mile -years 5-6 start.
Tavistock Athletic Club's Primary School Challenge marks its thirteenth weekly mile. Pictured is the years 5-6 start. (Andy Hughes - TAC)