Pain and tears have not deterred marathon runner Alison Wharvell from future races.

The London marathon was the first big race for the 24-year-old who is an accountant at Bradford & Bingley Building Society at Crossflatts.

Alison, of Spring Gardens in Silsden, completed the 26-mile circuit in just over four hours.

"I was absolutely shattered," she said, "I said 'never again' as soon as I finished. If it wasn't for the crowds and my boyfriend, Paul Fryers, cheering me on I don't think I would've done it."

The toughest part, according to Alison, was running over cobbles near Tower Bridge at 21 miles, which nearly finished her off. But Alison came through it unscathed.

She adds: "I was just really stiff. We travelled back as soon as I had finished and I was supposed to work the next day but I couldn't get out of bed."

Alison's run has so far raised £1,100 for Bradford & Bingley's chosen charity the Leonard Cheshire Disabled Foundation.

She now plans to do the Great North Run in October and the New York Marathon next year.

The NSPCC are quids in after Keighley hairdresser Tony Walsh and Stewart Weatherill completed the London Marathon and raised £4,000. First-timer Stewart, from Farnhill, took almost four and a half hours while Tony - doing his second London - was seven minutes inside four hours.

Both are members of Keighley and Craven AC who had several entrants in the big race. Club president Tony Minikin, from Sutton, clocked 3.31, Mick Sumpter 3.16 and Vera Ostojic 4.22.

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