DOZENS of runners from across the Farnham area took part in the London Marathon on Sunday, raising thousands of pounds for an array of charities close to their hearts.

A record 40,000 people took part in the prestigious 26.2 mile run this year, ranging from some of the world’s best athletes to those who had barely pounded a pavement before training for the event - including scores from Farnham:

• No fewer than 20 runners took part on behalf of Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice in Waverley Lane, raising a huge £50,000 so far, with money still coming in from sponsorship and fundraising events.

Having turned 18 just weeks before the marathon, Theo Creswell was one of the youngest runners of the day. Fellow runner Neil Miller raised more than £8,000 for the hospice, while the fastest on the day was James Whistler, who whizzed past the finishing line with a time of three hours, 14 mins.

Completing the marathon fulfilled a lifelong ambition for runner Helen Vokes-McLean, who lost 11 stone before taking on this epic running challenge, and finished the run in under five hours. “Thank you for helping me to fulfil my dream by running for Phyllis Tuckwell,” she said.

“What a wonderful day,” added runner Abi Barber, “and a privilege to spend it supporting the incredible Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice.”

Jennifer Green, who ran in memory of her grandmother, said: “I had the best time and am so grateful that I was able to run the London Marathon for Phyllis Tuckwell!”

Fellow runner Rachel O’Grady commented: “I’m really pleased with my time and so, so, so proud to have run for Phyllis Tuckwell.”

Also raising funds for Phyllis Tuckwell were: Heather Coombes, Fleur Tubbs, Kelly Wooderson, Graham Denny, Andy Brooks, Lydia Ferguson, Rupert Edmunds, Marc Othen, Danielle Foster, Seanii Coughlan, Ali Hardaway, Allan Hyde and Stephanie Radford.

Phyllis Tuckwell’s fundraising events manager Laura Moody said: “We would like to say a huge thank you and very well done to our dedicated London Marathon runners, who have raised an incredible amount of money to help fund our vital supportive and end of life care.”

• Father and daughter duo James, 72, and Olivia Hardy, 25, completed the course together in six hours and 43 minutes in aid of The Cure Parkinson’s Trust.

It was James’ second and Olivia’s first London Marathon, and it proved an emotional day for both runners and an experience not to be forgotten.

James said: “The cheering support from the enormous crowd of spectators is amazing and what keeps you going when the last few gruelling miles become really tough.”

To date they have raised more than £9,200 for their chosen charity and expect their final total to be well over £10,000 when their Virgin Money Giving page closes in July.

• Hayley Barratt, a familiar face to shoppers at Argos in West Street, ran the marathon in memory of her step-dad Ralph Palombo who died of cancer at the age of 67.

The 42 year old has raised more than £700 for Macmillan Cancer Support, and said: “I completed the marathon in seven hours and 22 minutes. I limped the last six miles after I started getting blisters under my toes, and I was a bit shaky at the end. But I am OK now.

“I am really pleased I’ve done it and the crowds were just brilliant, shouting your name as you went past them. Would I do it again? Part of me says yes but right now my feet are saying no!”

• Nineteen year old Kieran Patel, a recruitment consultant with Castle Street-based Profiles-Personnel, ran the marathon in five hours, six minutes, and has raised around £2,500 for the British Heart Foundation in memory of his grandad.

He said afterwards: “The event itself was without any doubt the best thing I have ever done. There wasn’t one negative aspect about the day (maybe with the exception of how my legs felt afterwards!).

“The crowds are constant for the whole 26.2 miles, with complete strangers egging you on from the sidelines. The spectators have such an impact on your mindset.

“Whether it be simply calling your name, blaring out motivational music, offering sweets etc. The energy and buzz was nothing I had ever seen before.”

• Latif Iqbal, store director of Specsavers in West Street, ran in aid of Blind Veterans UK and was very pleased to finish in just under six hours - with a time of five hours, 59 minutes and 58 seconds.

The 47 year old said: “The crowds were incredible - the buzz and support you get from them is infectious and spurs you on when you feel like giving up.

“It truly was a memorable day. Such a mix of people enduring the distance and breaking many pain barriers to fundraise for causes close to their hearts.

“I even bumped into Ian Beale from Eastenders (and overtook him!). I just hope I can do it all again next year.”

• Stu Laurie, a part-time duty officer at the Farnham Maltings who suffers from ME, completed the 26.2 miles in five hours and six minutes in aid of sight loss charity the RNIB.

“It was by far and away the hardest thing I have ever done,” he said. “The first half was fine, but then it kicked in and the second half was horrendous. However, the absolutely fantastic atmosphere and crowds pushed me to finish.

“My husband and my charity cheered me at mile 25 and that got me to the finish. I’m a marathoner finally at age 31!”

Stu has raised just over £1,000 for the RNIB and plans to run a half marathon each month this year in aid of the charity.

• Stephen Tarrant, owner of Winkworth estate agents in West Street, finished his first marathon at the age of 44 in a time of four hours and eight minutes.

He has raised £2,500 for The Outward Bound Trust and, on May 6, will take on “part two” ­of his challenge, running the world’s largest obstacle course, The Dirty Weekender in Lincolnshire, boasting 200 obstacles over a 20 mile course.

• Michele Taylor, 51, who works at the CAB in South Street, ran the distance in four hours and 22 minutes and has raised more than £3,500 for Citizens Advice.

She said: “It was an amazing day, the atmosphere was incredible, lots of ‘high fiving’ by the fantastic spectators, the music, clapping and encouraging words really helped.

“I started at the back pen with runners in fancy dress and looking at my stats, ran passed 11,671 runners and 66 ran passed me.

“I was so lucky to have my husband Andy and daughter Millie and friends with me and my twin Mandy from Australia had also come to visit which was really emotional.

“The support I have received from Citizens Advice Waverley has also been incredible.”

• A dozen members of the Farnham Runners club headed to London this year and between them they raised £16,000 for charity, with Sarah McCulloch exceeding the highest previous individual total with a fantastic £10,800. See next week’s Herald sports pages for more on the club’s 2017 London Marathon entrants.

• A total of 82 Shooting Star Chase runners raised a record amount of £180,000 and counting for Farnham’s local children’s hospice charity after taking to the streets of the capital on Sunday, including four bereaved parents, 28 runners with a family connection to the charity, 18 corporate partners and several local supporters.