Sun shines on 'best ever' marathon

A total of 3,453 runners took part

Nearly 3,500 people took to the streets of Sheffield on Sunday to run in the annual full and half marathons.

This is the highest number of entries since 1991.

Salford Harrier Thomas Abyu won the men's marathon in a time of two hours, 27 minutes and 44 seconds.

The runner up was Stuart McDonald from Bingley.

Benson Matheka of Kenya took the men's half marathon.

The winner of the women's full marathon was Sarah Heatley from Gateshead and Yelena Burykina of Russia won the women's half marathon.

Sports Minister and Sheffield MP, Richard Caborn, just missed his half marathon target of under two hours.

City centre

He came in at two hours, two minutes and 24 seconds.

The races were started by the former British runner, Dame Mary Peters, and Sheffield's Lord Mayor, Diane Leek.

Chairman of the trustees, Robert Jackson, said: "The combination of the weather and the great work of the unpaid volunteers made this the finest Sheffield marathon on record."

For the first time in over a decade the race went through Sheffield city centre and along Ecclesall Road.

Money raise by the event will go to the Weston Park Hospital in Sheffield.