WILTSHIRE runners endured the agony and the ecstasy of the London Marathon on Sunday, raising thousands of pounds for local and national charities.

Among them was the Rev Chris Tebbutt, vicar of St James' Church, Southbroom, in Devizes, who has raised over £5,200 for a health centre in Kajo Keji in Sudan.

He finished in just under five hours, describing it as a sweet and sour experience. He said: "It was fine for the first 13 miles. I had to walk a bit between 18 miles and 23 miles this was the most hellish time. But the last two miles were exhilarating."

Royden Perrett, of Devizes Hickeys Harriers, who was running for Elizabeth Lodge in Trowbridge, a home for adults with learning disabilities where his brother Craig lives, ran a personal best time of 3hrs 31mins despite being plagued with injury over the past few months.

He said: "I had a really good first half but I could have curled up and died at 23 miles. But the crowd drives you on."

He hopes to have raised £2,500 to create a special garden at the home.

Brendan Baker, who was raising cash for the Guides and Brownies new HQ project, completed the course in 3hrs 59mins.

The unexpected sunshine resulted in Devizes runners Mandy Rowley and Jenny Delaney suffering sunburn. Miss Rowley, 30, of Sheep Street, who severely injured her left leg in a road accident seven years ago, competed the marathon in six hours and 16 minutes. As a diabetic she had to time her insulin injections around the marathon. She has raised about £1,600 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Miss Delaney, 24, of Easterton, finished in five hours 15 minutes. She hopes to have raised £1,500 for Action for ME. Her sister, Kate, 28, has ME.

Devizes pizza chef Alistair Thomas, 31, completed the marathon in four hours and 20 minutes.

Mr Thomas, of Matilda Way, ran the marathon to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre and was inspired to run it by his friend Dean MacKay-Morris of Worton who has multiple sclerosis.

The godfather of Freddie Pullen, the Devizes schoolboy who is now in remission from leukaemia, has raised at least £1,500 for the charity Children with Leukaemia.

Freddie and his younger brother Toby were at the finish to congratulate Darren Merritt, who lives in Southsea, and ran in aid of the charity in gratitude for all the help the family received during his illness.

Jubilant giant Matthew Everitt of Calne, the tallest ever to take part at seven feet one inch tall, hobbled across the finish line with the help of his wife Rachel in six hours 42 minutes. A hamstring injury after just 10 miles put a dampener on his attempts to smash the six-hour barrier.