IT was the moment they had all been waiting for.

Daily Echo:

Thousands of runners took part in the Sport Relief Mile in Southampton city centre this morning to raise money for good causes.

Mayor Ivan White started off a series of one-mile races at 11am in Guildhall Square with the route a lap through the city's parks.

Southampton Football Club mascot Sammy Saint was also on hand, cheering on runners and posing for pictures.

An inflatable football pitch was there too as well as Solent University’s Careers Coach.

Daily Echo:

And the Daily Echo was also ‘buzzing’ for the event as a team of journalists ran dressed as bumblebees in aid of the Mayoress' attempt to break a world record for the number of people running a race in bee costume.

Sport Relief was set up in 2002 and takes place every two years, raising money for vulnerable people in the UK and overseas.