A PINK army of more than 10,000 women lined up to take part in Race For Life at Glasgow Green and raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Scottish curling champion Eve Muirhead joined a nine-year-old cancer survivor and his twin brother to rally up the participants preparing to run, jog or walk the 5k course.

Danny Flanigan and his brother Joe, from Coatbridge, joined Muirhead on stage ahead of the starting gun.

Muirhead said: "Meeting brave Danny and his wonderful brother Joe has really highlighted to me the amazing achievement of Glasgow's ladies today in raising vital funds to help families like the Flanigans spend more precious moments together."

The boys' mother Maria Flanigan, 35, joined them on stage and said she was proud of how far her son has come.

She said: "Danny was diagnosed with Burkitts Lymphoma in November last year. I felt like I'd been hit by a bus, there's no other way to describe it.

"His treatment was pretty intense and tough but thankfully he got the all clear in March.

"We're just so thankful to see our boy getting back to his old self. He's been through so much, but he's handled it all really well."

She thanked Cancer Research UK for their work.

She said: "Without these new treatments there wouldn't be as many survivors and I am so happy these treatments are being provided."

Earlier this year, Danny was presented with a Cancer Research UK Little Star award, a joint venture between the charity and TK Maxx, to recognise the courage of children who have been diagnosed with cancer.

The brothers helped Muirhead power up the crowd by leading them on the Scottish Power High 5 Wave.

The aim is to generate 60,000 High 5s at Race For Life events this summer, which Scottish Power will convert into a £35,000 donation to Cancer Research UK.

Scottish Power has been the official energy sponsor of Cancer Research UK and since 2012 has raised more than £6 million for the charity.

Paula Dolan, 31, from East Kilbride, sounded the air horn to start the 5k event before joining her own team of runners and heading round the course.

Ms Dolan lost her daughter Lucy to rare cancer rhabdomyosarcoma in November 2011.

She said: "I really felt this need to do something to help raise money as soon as Lucy was diagnosed, and I felt the same way after we lost her.

"Even though it was too late for my little girl, I feel like I have to keep doing what I can to prevent this happening to someone else's daughter, someone else's son. It's so important.

"Today is really emotional for me as Lucy was with me the first time I completed Race For Life and I always remember us high fiving when we crossed the finish line."

Race For Life is the UK's largest women-only fundraising event with more than 300 events from May until September.

Last year Cancer Research UK invested over £22m to support the work of scientists, doctors and nurses.