THOUSANDS of milers sported their red socks as they raced, jogged or walked down The Avenue in Southampton for Sport Relief.

The road was closed to traffic as hundreds of men, women and children paced down the tree-lined route.

Staggered start times meant the 3,660 competitors who registered had the chance to enter one of three races after a mass warm-up on Southampton Common by Fitness First instructors.

Milers were put under starter's orders at the top of The Avenue with the junction of Burgess Road, with the route progressing past the Cowherds pub and finishing on Southampton Common.

Radio One DJ Scott Mills, Big Brother's Kate Lawler and Strictly Come Dancing's Anton Dubeke were among those on the starting line.

Southampton-born Scott thought it might take him an hour to finish the race but he managed to complete the challenge in a respectable ten minutes.

"I was all ready to go but, before I knew it, millions of ten-year-olds had trampled past me," he said afterwards.

Sporty Kate broke her six- minute target to finish the race in five minutes and 48 seconds raising £1,100.

"I'm very pleased with myself," she said. "I didn't think I had trained enough plus I ate a big bacon and sausage roll about half an hour beforehand.

"Luckily I had a professional runner in front of me and I just stayed behind her. She sprinted off and before we knew it I saw the finish line."

Ballroom dancing whizz Anton Dubeke waltzed his way to the finish line in just over 12 minutes.