Dozens of Shropshire runners joined the world’s top athletes and a host of celebrities to tackle the London marathon.

Yesterday’s annual showpiece was a record-breaking affair both on and off the course, as more than 35,000 runners made their way around the city’s streets.

Read Sue Austin’s report here

Kenyan runner Sammy Wanjiru set a course record in the men’s race of two hours five minutes and 10 seconds, while Britain’s Mara Yamauchi finished runner-up behind Irina Mikitenko, from Germany, in the women’s section.

The fastest Shropshire person across the line was Wayne Dashper, from Telford Athletics Club, who completed the course in two hours 38 minutes.

But for many county runners, the day was about enjoying the experience and raising thousands of pounds for charity.

Shropshire Star reporter Sue Austin raised more than £1,500 for Oscar, the Oswestry Spinal Cord Appeal for Research in her first crack at the course. After completing in it five hours, she said: “It was unbelievable – one of the best days and experiences of my life. All the training paid off, and I even managed a sprint finish at the end.

“The feeling of euphoria was something I have only every experienced twice before and that was when my two children were born.

“My smile was a mile wide. I had run the London Marathon.”

Inspector Dick Langton, of Wellington Police Station, completed his first full marathon in three hours 35 minutes, raising cash for Hearing Dogs for the Deaf.

He said: “I was hoping to do it in three hours 30 but I got to mile 23 and had really bad cramp but the main thing is I carried on running but it did slow me down. I’m chuffed to bits.”

Deborah Pinnington, from Stirchley, Telford, was raising cash for cerebral palsy charity Scope, as her son Theo suffers from the condition. After crossing the finishing line in just over six hours, she said: “I’ve just finished it and I’m still standing. I really enjoyed it – it was a brilliant experience.”

Chiropractor Simon Pierce, 44, from the Centre for Positive Health in Wellington, was delighted at his time of three hours 55 minutes. It was his first attempt and he was raising funds for The Church Urban Fund, and Tearfund.

Another Shropshire runner was Becky Evans, from Kinton, near Nesscliffe. The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital worker was running for Seeability, a charity that provides equipment for those with seeing disabilities. “I have had a tremendous amount of support particularly from colleagues at work,” she said.

Rachel Williams, 39, from Penley, near Ellesmere, a mature sport exercise student at Glyndwr University in Wrexham, ran for St John’s Ambulance.

The mum-of-one completed the course in five hours 41 minutes and raised £1,200. She said: “I’m really chuffed with myself. I had to walk the last two miles because I had really bad cramp. The crowds and the atmosphere were fantastic.”

Squadron Leader Ade Vine, from RAF Shawbury, completed the race in four hours 47 minutes.

He is still collecting sponsorship but hopes to have raised more than £1,000 for the Help for Heroes fund, which supports injured servicemen and women and their families. He said he enjoyed the race and was pleased wife Lorraine and sons Harry and James were at the roadside cheering him on.

He said: “It was an absolutely fantastic experience and the organisation was incredibly slick, and I loved it, but never again.”

Masai warrior Solomon Kimani, who was spotted running around north Shropshire as part of his marathon training, completed the course in three hours 30 minutes.

He had been hoping to finish in three hours but he injured his knee while training in London.

He has raised more than £3,500 which will be spent on education and conservation in his home village of Laikipia, Kenya.

Mark Baines, 40, of Morton, near Oswestry, completed the run in five hours and has raised more than £10,000 for the Spinal Injuries Association.

His partner Jacky Clarke said: “He completed it but he had quite a bad injury beforehand.

“He was able to run for about 16 miles then he sort of limped round the rest.

“He broke his leg a long time ago so when he hit 16 miles it wouldn’t hold up any more.”

By Carl Jones

How our Shropshire runners fared

• Wayne Dashper, Telford Athletics Club: 2hrs 38mins

• Jamie Anderson, Telford Harriers: 2hrs 45mins

• Chris Talbot, Telford Athletics Club: 2hrs 45mins

• Nick Thomas, Telford Harriers: 2hrs 54mins

• Marc Gadsden, Telford Harriers: 2hrs 59mins

• Michelle Clarke, Telford Harriers: 3hrs 5mins

• Jamie Davies, Telford Athletics Club: 3hrs 6mins

• Henry Thomas, Telford Athletics Club: 3hrs 13mins

• Masamitsu Okura, Telford Harriers, 3hrs 17mins

• Solomon Kimani, Tern Hill: 3hrs 30mins

• Richard Langton, Wellington: 3hrs 35mins

• Robert Norman, The Rock, Telford: 3hrs 38 mins

• Neil Ballard, Oswestry: 3hrs 40mins

• Michael Rickus, Telford Harriers, 3hrs 46mins

• Kerry Richardson, Telford Harriers: 3hrs 51mins

• Aimee Woods, Telford Harriers: 3hrs 52mins

• Daniel Soltys, Telford Harriers, 3hrs 52mins

• Simon Pierce, Wellington: 3hrs 55mins

• Jim Rounsley, Telford Harriers: 3hrs 56mins

• Samantha Brown, Oswestry: 3hrs 58mins

• Alastair Drummond, Shrewsbury: 3hrs 59mins

• Gwenan Jones, Telford Harriers: 4hrs 4mins

• Liz Arthan, Oswestry: 4hrs 17mins

• Jeremy Bolwell, Ludlow: 4hrs 18mins

• Jane Mapp, Ludlow: 4hrs 20mins

• Melvyn Austin, Ellesmere: 4hrs 22mins

• Abigail Mercer, Stanton Long: 4hrs 22mins

• Annabel Allen, Ditton Priors: 4hrs 22mins

• James Drummond, Shrewsbury: 4hrs 40mins

• Phil Clarke, Ludlow: 4hrs 43mins

• Rene Francois, Ludlow: 4hrs 43mins

• Ade Vine, Shawbury: 4hrs 47mins

• Robert Friel, Telford Harriers, 4hrs 49mins

• Mark Baines, Oswestry, 4hrs 59mins

• Sue Austin, Ellesmere: 5hrs 0mins

• Becky Evans, Kinton: 5hrs 17mins

• Zoe Davies, Telford Athletic Club: 5hrs 31mins

• Kim Davies, Telford Athletic Club: 5hrs 41mins

• Rachel Williams, Penley: 5hrs 41mins

• Deborah Pinnington, Stirchley: 6hrs 10mins

• Charlotte Wood, Four Crosses: 6hrs 17mins

• Christine Edwards, Telford Harriers, 7hrs 27mins