Doncaster man finishes London Marathon after 13 hours

A man battling through a knee injury was greeted with applause and party poppers when he crossed the London Marathon finish line, more than 13 hours after starting.

It was the 32nd time in a row he had taken part and was supported by a team of tailwalkers, who volunteer to help the back of the pack.

The former police officer ran the marathon for Surrey-based Rainbow Trust, which supports families who have a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness, in memory of daughter, Claire, who died just before she turned 15.

He said: “Running 26 miles is absolutely nothing compared to what these children go through. They don’t have a choice, so it was never an option for me to quit.”