Thousands descended on Battersea Park to fight against negative stereotypes of Muslims and raise money for charity.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association (AMYA) held a 10k run on Sunday to raise more than £300,000 for twelve UK charities, including Save the Children, NSPCC and Barnardos.

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Battersea MP Jane Ellison (left) spoke at the event 

More than 2,000 people formed what is thought to be the UK’s largest Muslim-organised charity event called Mercy 4 Mankind.

Lutfur Rehman, an AMYA youth leader, said: "Like the whole of the country, we have been particularly horrified by the practice of female genital mutilation and cases of grooming here in the UK.

"As British Muslims, these crimes are all the more painful due to the twisted misreading of Islam that has led a minority Muslims to use Islam to wrongly justify these acts.

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Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon speaking before the race

''We believe that raising money for charity and helping others is the very best way for us to symbolically state that these crimes are not in Islam’s name and to also help those harmed by these acts of cruelty.''

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Even those with little legs were helped around the park

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On your marks, get set...

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Thousands took part in the race

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Former English footballer Peter Shilton speaking before the race