Meet the wacky Worcester runner who tapped into London Marathon world record

Marcus Mumford, 45, from Worcester, ran the fastest marathon while dressed as a tap, at three hours, 10 minutes and 50 seconds, adding to his accolade of fastest marathon dressed as a toilet in 2014.

It was his dream prior to Sunday’s run to set a new Guinness World Record and he achieved that goal.

The 45-year-old said: “I’m working my way around the bathroom items.

“People didn’t really know what I was. I was called a weather vane, radio station. It’s all in aid of Water Aid – a fantastic charity.”

He said he has been a supporter of the charity for many years and it has various costumes that can be borrowed to help with fundraising.

The 2024 London Marathon saw 44 Guinness World Records broken, including for the fastest marathon dressed in an inflatable costume.

Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir may have stolen the headlines by setting a new women’s-only world record on Sunday, but she was not the only record breaker in the race.

Amateur runners also set records of their own, from the fastest marathon dressed as a scientist to the fastest for someone with multiple sclerosis (MS).

    Jono Astle, 31, from Battersea, secured the fastest marathon for someone with MS, raising more than £20,000 for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Mr Astle, who ran the race in three hours, 10 minutes and 50 seconds, thanked the “amazing” crowds and said he was buoyed by notifications coming through on his phone while running.

Lee Baynton, 39, from Essex, clocked the fastest-ever marathon in an inflatable costume, at three hours, 21 minutes and seven seconds, while raising money for a local hospice.