MORE than 500 people took part in a 20-hour overnight charity relay hosted by Edgware sixthformers to raise money for Cancer Research.
Teams had to ensure that they always had one member completing a lap of the track at any given moment in the race, which began at 1pm on Saturday and ended at 9am on Sunday at North London Collegiate School in Canons Drive.
It was led by students Jahnavi Emmanuel and Davina Moss, and their sub-committees of more Year 12 students. The girls managed to raise in excess of £60,000.
The launch included a 'Survivors' Lap of Honour' in which cancer survivors walked the track to symbolically celebrate life.
Special guests included the Mayor of Harrow Councillor Eric Silver, actress Juliet Stevenson and radio DJ Tony Blackburn, and entertainment was laid on in the form of dance acts, a football workshop and a jazz band.
On Saturday evening, there was a Candle of Hope ceremony to commemorate those who have died from cancer, support those still fighting it, and to celebrate those who survived it. There were also readings and songs based on themes of hope and cure.
Cancer survivor Doctor Susannah Hudson-Tyreman, 40, from Canterbury, Kent, took part.
She said: "I was told that I couldn't have children because of my cancer. But now I have two sons and we ran the relay together.
"It's amazing that the girls organised the relay themselves, that they were raising money for cancer research and that so many people turned out.
"I ran the race because I used to go to the school, because my nieces who go to the school were running it, and most significantly, because I have beaten cancer."
