Runners from Shropshire joined tens of thousands of charity racers, celebrities and record-breakers from across the country competing in the gruelling Virgin London Marathon.

More than 34,705 runners took part in the event yesterday including mums from a Market Drayton primary school, a Telford construction boss, Oswestrian runners, 18 amateur athletes from the Shrewsbury-based Shropshire Shufflers, and AFC Telford mascot Bobby Buck.

James Dowdall, from Wellington, who will run 209 miles across three races during April and May for Severn Hospice and Help for Heroes, got off to a good start in his challenge, running the course in three hours and 16 minutes.

Stephen Mott, running in his AFC Telford mascot Bobby Buck uniform, braved the sweltering conditions to complete the marathon in seven hours and 36 minutes, failing to beat non-league rival AFC Wimbledon mascot Haydon the Womble’s time of under seven hours from 2010.

Peter McPhillips, a managing director at McPhillips Civil Engineers, running his first and last marathon, completed the course in four hours and 42 minutes.

Constable David Rathband, who was blinded in a gun attack by Raoul Moat last year, completed the course in six hours and 49 minutes.

He said: “During the race I took myself back to the night I was shot, it hurt that much — but not as much as when I was shot — and I literally ran in my mind from the car to the local hospital up the road just to finish the last three miles.

“People will use whatever things they need to get them through pain barriers.”

Andrew Ford and Katrina Scaife took time out from the race after 20 miles to get married at the London Marriott hotel in West India Quay before completing the remaining six miles.

Jon Morgan, from Sheffield, became the fastest cartoon character to complete the course as Fred Flintstone in a time of two hours and 46 minutes.

Celebrities including James Cracknell, Nell McAndrew, Joe Pasquale, Agyness Deyn and singer Will Young also completed the course.

Paul Herbage, deputy commissioner of London St John Ambulance Service, said 4,709 received treatment from their members, with 88 of those going to hospital.

“Given the weather we’ve had today, quite a few are heat-related, particularly between 2pm to 3.30pm when it was quite warm,” he said.

By Paul Mannion

Shropshire runners
James Dowdall 3 hours, 16 minutes, 46 seconds; Jo Coombes 4:18:04; Andrew Ford 4:42:18; Peter Mcphillips 4:42:49; Jody Wilson 4:43:10; Sarah Hancock 4:45:40; Benita Guy 4:46:31; Genevieve Irvin 5:13:26; Stephen Mott (Bobby Buck) 7:36:26