WEYMOUTH runner Meggie Crane turned 27 as she conquered her fourth marathon on behalf of local charity Three Ells Trust.

The charity offers practical and financial assistance for children affected by life-threatening conditions and their families.

Miss Crane, who is a trainee legal executive at Pengillys Solicitors in Weymouth, raised more than £1,000 for the charity, finishing in three hours 48 minutes.

She said: “I’m quite chuffed actually, I had wanted to do under three hours 50 minutes and I just scraped in.

“It was really hard today, it started off quite warm and was only cloudy now and then.

“Crossing the finish line was amazing. It’s just utter relief.”

Ian Mercer

nAN ARMY dentist ran the 26 miles to support diabetes across Dorset.

Lieutenant Colonel Ian Mercer was inspired to run his first London Marathon by his wife’s experience with type one diabetes.

Mr Mercer, from Winterborne Stickland, will donate funds to Diabetes UK three years after his wife Tina was diagnosed. He has previously run the Marathon des Sables, a 250km run across the Sahara Desert, and seven marathons to raise money for charity.

He finished in four hours and 50 minutes, which he said was ‘quite slow’.

Mr Mercer said: “It was a bit of a slow one for me, I’m getting old now.

“The crowds really helped me finish because when you feel like stopping right at the end all the people egging you on really keeps you going.”

Amanda Belbin

DORSET teacher Amanda Belbin ran the marathon for a disabled children’s centre.

Victoria Education Centre’s Sparkle Appeal is fundraising to build the centre in Poole, which will host much-needed physiotherapy and hydrotherapy equipment.

Mrs Belbin, 38, from Puddletown, who teaches at Hillbourne School in Poole, completed the route in four hours and 49 minutes and raised around £1,700.

She said: “It was really good, the support from all the people was brilliant and was the one thing that got me through.

“There were people over the whole course, lining all the streets.

“Crossing the finish line felt amazing, there was such a great atmosphere.

“I’m really happy with the money I’ve raised, I had to make £1,400 and I’ve gone a bit over which is great.”