Marathon runners battle heavy rain

More than a quarter of a million people turned out on the streets to cheer on the fun runners, professional athletes and celebrities.

The day began with bright sunshine over Greenwich Park as runners donned fancy dress costumes and warmed up. But by mid-morning, when the bulk of the runners were around half way around, the rain began.

Chef Gordon Ramsay, running his ninth consecutive marathon, said he preferred the weather to last year, when temperatures soared to record highs. "A bit of drizzle is better than last year's heat," he said. "There were thousands of people who came out today - they were fantastic."

Olympic rower James Cracknell, who finished in just under three hours, said: "It was raining very hard but people were still cheering us on. Even after the heavens opened there were no gaps in the crowds."

Attracting some of the biggest cheers from the crowd were a group of six Maasai warriors from a small village in northern Tanzania.

They ran in bright tribal dress carrying shields and spears and wearing shoes made from car tyres but half way round one was forced to drop out after feeling nauseous but he is expected to be released later today.

Four of the six then finished the race, in five hours 24 minutes. Ngouvu, who is aged between 20 and 24, said: "The crowds, they cheered us a lot. It was a big noise. They all clapped and said 'Maasai come on, Maasai come on' almost all the way."

British athlete Liz Yelling finished ninth in the women's race in two hours 28 minutes and 33 seconds, four minutes behind the winner, Germany's Irina Mikitenko.

The men's race was won by favourite Martin Lel from Kenya. Brit Dan Robinson came 13th. The men's wheelchair race was won by Brit Davie Wear and the women's wheelchair race by Sandra Graf from Switzerland.