CHRISTMAS fundraising reached new heights on Monday when 50 Santas scaled Porlock Hill to raise money for the Watchet-based Elliot’s Touch charity.

And their efforts took the total raised by the charity for medical research past the £100,000 mark.

Paul and Donna Stevens set up the charity after their 13-month old son Elliot died of cardiomyopathy in March 2015 and their efforts are helping to fund ground-breaking research into the disease.

Minehead Running Club chose Elliot’sTouch as its charity for 2017, and after Monday’s annual Christmas fancy dress charity run, it presented a cheque for £2,000 to Paul and Donna, taking its total donation for the year to £3,851.78.

The run started in the bar of Porlock’s Top Ship pub and the competitors – some running, some walking, some on cycles and some sparkling with fairy lights - made their way up the UK’s steepest A-road to the finishing line at a cattle grid.

Among them was Paul himself who, despite a heavy cold, finished 25th.