Revellers brave torrential rain for Otley run… as rowdy drinkers don animal prints & skimpy ensembles
REVELLERS braved the torrential rain in Leeds today for the city’s famous Otley run.
Rowdy drinkers donned animals prints and skimpy ensembles on Saturday as they took to the streets for a pub crawl with pals.
Princesses, Ninja Turtles, Cowgirls, Avengers and donkeys were out in force as they went to all 17 venues while being battered by a heavy downpour.
Fancy dress characters sheltered under umbrellas as forecasters braced the country for around 20mm of rainfall in one hour.
The two-and-a-half-mile rite of passage happens multiple times a year and March 2 kicked off the first run of Spring.
Despite the weather, it didn’t dampen pub-goers’ spirits.
Hardy punters were seen trudging through puddles to get to their stops, wearing sensible footwear.
Cruella Deville, the Joker, lifeguards and kittens were all smiles as they headed from bar to bar.
And Tinkerbell and Alice in Wonderland were full of laughter as they shared an umbrella.
Some drinkers braved the conditions without a coat while others made sure their hair was covered by hoods or parts of their costumes.
The historic Otley Run starts at Woodies pub in Far Headingley and finishes at The Dry Dock at the edge of the city centre.
The aim of the game is to have a drink in each of the 17 pubs along the way – even if it is tipping it down outside.
The Environment Agency also issued 35 flood warnings – the highest possible, with flooding expected – and 148 flood alerts.
Meteorologist Annie Shuttleworth said: “It’s a bit of a wet start to the weekend for some of us but there is some drier weather on the way for Sunday.
“Particularly across Southern areas and into areas of the Midlands, there’s some quite persistent rain to come through next few hours.
“This could turn to snow over the hills and some lower levels but anything that settles should melt quite quickly as the temperatures start to pick up.”