More than 52,000 people took part in the half-marathon on Sunday, starting at Newcastle Upon-Tyne and finishing in South Shields.

Dave Archer, from Sandal, was hot on the heels of the winners with his impressive time of one hour, 11 minutes and 53 seconds.

Team Wakefield and District Housing also triumphed. A group of 20 runners from the housing organisation raised more than £8,000 for Cancer Research UK and Ward 14 at Pontefract General Infirmary.

Tim Spears, 24, of WDH, crossed the finish line in one hour, 59 minutes.

Craig Barker-Davis, 32, who works at Sainsbury’s on Ings Road, ran the race in two hours and three minutes, raising around £500 for the British Heart Foundation.

Mum-of-four Karen Orr, 40, of Sandal Avenue, Wakefield, ran for the same cause in memory of her dad – and finished in the same time to raise £1,500.

Ron Sykes, 57, of Calder View, Ossett, also ran for the British Heart Foundation with a time of two hours and 14 minutes and hopes to raise £350.

Sukhbeer Shergill, head of crime at Jordans Solicitors in Woolpacks Yard, finished in two hours, seven minutes.

The 36-year-old and her three colleagues Christine Sands, 40, Kenton Bazeley, 33, and Stephen Dibb, 39, hope their efforts have raised around £1,200 for the Prince of Wales Hospice in Pontefract.

Tom Wrigglesworth and Simon Young, from the office of Wakefield MP Mary Creagh, both crossed the finish line in two hours, 31 minutes.

Mr Young, 27, ran in aid of the National Autistic Society and managed to raise more than £500. He said: “There was an amazing atmosphere on the day. It was a hard slog but the crowds which lined the streets really kept us going.”

Lawyers Suzanne Goodall, 43, and Ian Murray, 28, of Raleys Solicitors on Calder Park, donned Wizard of Oz costumes for the race to help raise £1,600 for Radio Aire’s Cash for Kids appeal.