CANCER survivors who are lucky to be alive received a standing ovation during an emotional lap of honour at Worcester's first Relay for Life.

The survivors in distinctive blue T-shirts were led by three Scottish pipers around the athletics track at Nunnery Wood Sports Complex during the opening ceremony in Spetchley Road, Worcester yesterday.

The mayor of Worcester, Coun Stephen Inman, and his wife joined the lap of honour in glorious sunshine.

Mary Bevan, aged 61, of Oakfield Drive, Kempsey, was one of the guests of honour for the lap.

She fought off breast cancer twice in 2002 and 2004 but sadly lost her son Nick to sarcoma, a cancer of the connective or supportive tissue, at the same time she battled her own illness.

Mr Bevan died on September 8, 2004 and she said she was taking part in the event to honour his memory.

She said: "Nick was lovely. We miss him so much - he was kind and helpful. He would be here helping his wife Sarah if he was still with us. It was very hard for me, losing my son at the same time I was ill. I tried to put my own illness in the background because of everything that was happening with Nick."

His widow Sarah Bevan, head of promotions at the Worcester News, is part of the organising committee for the event and their daughter, Lily, aged 11, was scheduled to read a poem during the two day event and a family team, "the Hippies", took part in the relay to raise funds for Cancer Research UK.

Mother-of-two Margaret Ballinger, aged 67, of Ronkswood Hill, Worcester, was another survivor, beating bowel cancer after she was diagnosed in November 2005 although many survivors are never given the complete all-clear.

She said: "It has been an emotional road and something like this brings it all back and you're just glad you're alive."

A total of 170 people signed up for the event and came in a variety of costumes, dressing up as superheroes, Romans, the Pink Ladies from hit musical Grease and Hawaiian dancers.

The relay involves team members taking turns to walk circuits of the track for 24 hours and is aimed at people of all ages and levels of health and fitness.

Teams pitched tents in the centre of the track to take a break between laps.

The climax yesterday was a dramatic candle ceremony in which candles spelled out the words "hope" and "cure".

Organiser Paul Moult from Bosch, project manager, hopes the day will raise at least £20,000 for Cancer Research UK.

** For more pictures see tomorrow's Worcester News