Bridgnorth siblings triumph in London Marathon as Zoe takes top spot in under-15s race

After the London Marathon last year was postponed and people took part virtually, runners were keen to get back to the county's capital and take on the annual challenge.

Tens of thousands of people hit the streets of the city on Sunday to take on the traditional 26.2mile run from Greenwich to The Mall. Meanwhile young athletes from around the country took on the 2.6k mini marathons.

Among them were siblings Zoe Gilbody, 14, and Kody Gilbody, 12, from Bridgnorth, who travelled to the capital to take part in the mini marathons on Sunday.

Zoe won the mini marathon under-15s whilst her brother got 14th place in the under-13s race.

Their mum, Gayle, went to London to support them both on their races, and it was Kody's first experience staying away with their West Midlands race team.

She said: "Two years ago when Zoe competed, she came ninth in the under-13s race, so she has done really well this year to come first.

"I could not get close to the finish line as it was barricaded, but I saw Zoe at the 1km to go mark when she was level first with two other girls she knows quite well.

"Then by the time I got to the finish line people were coming up to me saying she has won. We're really proud of them both."

Both Zoe and Kody attend the Thomas Telford School and Gayle said it was nice to see local people celebrating their wins.

Meanwhile, Pc Tina Fallon, an officer with West Midlands Police, took on the run in memory of her brother Craig Fallon who committed suicide.

Mr Fallon, a former judo champion who competed for Great Britain in the Olympics, had grown up in Wolverhampton – and had been appointed head coach of the Welsh Judo Association five months before he was found dead in woodland around three miles from his home in Lawley Bank, Telford, in July 2019.

Pc Fallon, an anti-social behaviour, hate crime and restorative justice officer for Wolverhampton, started running each day as part of the grieving process – and is aiming to have raised £5,000 for Mind through taking on the challenge. The mother-of-two, aged 41, said: “The thought of being able to help so many others like my brother was the reason I wanted to run for Mind, who do so much to support those with mental health issues.”

“This was like the elephant in the room in my family as my brother was so quiet and so shy. It’s important to know that is support out there and you are never alone."

Fundraiser Earl Edwards, from Codsall, put on a Pink Panther costume for the run to help raise money for Breast Cancer Now.