The event raised $2800 from entry fees and donations for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

Treasurer Barry Pearn said that the event was the club's major annual fund- raiser and this year attracted 262 runners, more than 250 of whom completed a run of four or eight kilometres.

"We nominate a charity each year and this year it was the Global Polio Eradication Initiative,"' he said.

"The fun run has become a real community event with the local Lions Club providing catering services for our patrons.

Bailey is studying at university in Hobart and travelled up to Westbury especially for the event.

"I love the community fun runs - they're a great environment," he said, after completing the eight- kilometre run in a personal- best time of 28 minutes 50 seconds.

Launceston's Pedley said that she had no hope of catching Bailey.

"He was too far ahead from the start."

Pedley was the first woman home in the eight- kilometre run, about a minute behind Bailey.

Four-kilometre race winner Whiteley, who completed the course in just over 12 minutes, lives just 100 metres from the recreation ground and said that he did a lot of his training on the course used yesterday.

"Even though I live in Westbury, I hadn't done the fun run before and it was great to see so many people here," Whiteley said.

Butler, of Longford, is a three-time winner of the eight-kilometre race and was delighted to win the shorter version.