THE waterways of Gwent were awash with colour yesterday as walkers put on their best pink attire aiming to help a charity reach a million pound milestone.

Around 2,000 people gathered in South Wales locations, completing routes of various lengths along the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal and on the banks of the River Wye, to raise the money for In The Pink.

Money from the day goes towards the breast cancer charity, which supports research into the disease.

The walks along the canal, beginning at Goytre Wharf, The Bridge in Govilon and The Bridgend Inn in Gilwern, are now in their tenth year, and participants on all the routes were hoping to raise £150,000, to take the fundraising since it started to £1 million.

Starting out on the eightmile route in Gilwern, Cheryl Smart, 53, her son Lee Ricketts, 30 and his fiance Kim Williams, said they had collected £215.

The couple took it in turns to push disabled Mrs Smart in her wheelchair, who bravely battled along on foot for some of the route.

“I’ve never done this before as I’ve had no-one to push me,” Ms Smart said.

“But we wanted to do something special as I know someone who’s had cancer and she’s a wonderful woman.”

In Monmouth, double the numbers turned out on their routes.

It was hoped Walk The Wye, organised by three local rotary clubs, would raise £20,000.

Monmouth Rotary member Bill Parnell said: “We had a little shower in the middle but nothing too bad and everyone has had a brilliant time.”