Runners don costumes for charity

Dave Withers is running the race in a giant banana costume

A policeman was running his sixth London Marathon on Sunday dressed as a giant banana to back a cancer charity.

It was the second time that Kent detective David Withers ran with the Leukaemia Research "banana army".

Mr Withers, 44, of Maidstone, was supporting the charity after his own sister fought off the blood cancer.

South East runners included a team dressed as skeletons from Surrey Care Trust who said they wanted to highlight the "bare bones" of their work.

In Medway, Dean of Rochester Adrian Newman trained with Gillingham Football Club to prepare for the race.

Surrey Care Trust runners will be wearing skeleton costumes

He was said to be the first dean of a cathedral to take part in the 26.2 mile (42km) run.

And three prison inmates from the Isle of Sheppey formed a team and were being released from prison for the day to run in aid of charity.

Low-risk offenders Andy Watts, Steve Sampson and Richard Davis were dropped off at Greenwich by a prison officer who said he would cheer them on and pick them up at the end.

The three were from Standford Hill open prison where two are serving terms for theft-related offences and one for perjury.