The London Marathon

By Helen William, PA News; More than 30,000 fun runners and first class athletes will today take part in the London marathon. The 26.2 mile event first took place in 1981, when the winners, American Dick Beardsley and Norwegian Inge Simonsen crossed the line holding hands for equal first place.

Approximately £110 million has been raised for charity in the event’s history, with a record £17 million collected last year. Three-quarters of this year’s entrants, who come from 50 countries, are charity runners. Four namesakes of London mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone are set to take part.

Also competing in today’s race are a Tom Jones, Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson* and four Robbie Williams’s. An Elizabeth Taylor and a James Dean also feature on the starting list. *Lookalikes of course! :-)

Source: UK Newsroom & AOL