PEOPLE of all ages braced the wet weather and donned their onesies to pull in the pounds for a good cause.

Around 100 people took part in a Type Onesie Mile at Down Grange athletics track, in Pack Lane, Kempshott on Saturday to raise money for Diabetes UK.

Helen Brooker organised the event to raise money for the charity after her 11-year-old daughter Megan was diagnosed with Type One diabetes on February 25 last year.

Megan, who was 10 at the time of diagnosis, first started showing symptoms of diabetes just weeks before when parents Helen and Alan noticed that she was drinking a litre of water each night as well as several litres during the day.

In addition, the couple, of Beechwood Close, Hatch Warren, noticed Megan was going to the toilet more regularly, she was increasingly tired and had lost nearly a stone in weight.

The 11-year-old now has to inject herself with insulin four times a day.

Helen, who is also a member of the Hatch Warren Runners group, organised the event on Saturday to raise more money for the charity, for which she will be competing in the London Marathon on April 26.

So far, the 41-year-old has managed to raise more than £2,800, already smashing her £1,800 target.

As well as the Type Onesie Mile, people could also take part in a host of other running events on the day including a blindfolded race and a three-legged race.

If the condition is not caught early, sufferers can lose their eye sight and may need limbs amputated.

Local businesses also got in the spirit of the event, with Fyffes donating bananas to give runners a sugar boost and Beechwood Health and Fitness Club paid for the cost of renting the track and provided medals for all those taking part.

Helen, who also has an eight-year-old son, told The Gazette: “It has been a huge shock for the family and it has been a difficult year but things have started to improve. It was the tiredness that was the final piece of the jigsaw.

“She is coping really well but she did find it difficult. She is doing it (the injections) really confidently and we got it managed early. We couldn’t have got through it without the Hatch Warren Runners. They were really supportive and helpful.”

If you would like to make a donation, visit Helen’s fund-raising page at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/brookerbakes.