RUNNERS from across South Lakeland joined people from all over the country who set themselves the challenge of completing the Great North Run.

Sunday's event which is the world's biggest half marathon - proved popular with charity fund-raisers as well as serious runners, and those who were combining collecting cash with a personal challenge.

Kendal bus driver Paul Turnbull, who was determined to complete the race before he turned 40, enjoyed it so much he is keen to have another go next year.

His official time was two hours 46 minutes, although it took him 13 minutes to cross the start.

"It was absolutely fantastic I thoroughly enjoyed it."

He thanked everyone who supported him and particularly his partner, Mags Ward. He is hoping to raise as much money as possible, which will go to Yorkshire Cancer Research, a fund for the children's ward at Christie Hospital, Kentdale District Scouts and Kendal Mountain Rescue Team. Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/paulsgnr04 or cheques, made to Paul's GNR04, can be handed to any Stagecoach driver in Kendal.

Fellow novices Kevin and Sharon Jones, from Burneside, managed to raise £1,500 for Mencap with their efforts.

They trained from scratch over the last six months and, according to their own stopwatches, finished in two hours and 31 minutes.

Mr Jones, 60, and his wife, 48, said they felt "really proud" of themselves. They were inspired to raise money for Mencap because they volunteer at the Riversiders Social Club, for adults with learning difficulties, on Tuesday evenings at the Kendal Day Centre, which is run by the Oaklea Trust and partly funded by Westmorland Mencap.

The manager of the Belsfield Hotel, at Bowness, Roger Jobson, marked his fifth Great North Run with a stopwatch time of one hour and 59 minutes.

Mr Jobson, 53, was running for Cancer Research UK and decided to wear a charity vest with his name on for the first time.

"It was so encouraging to hear people shouting out your Christian name," he said. Mr Jobson, who is hoping to win a place in next year's London Marathon, raised £360.

Two young runners, Keir Jackson, 13, and Nic Armer, 11, from Endmoor, raised £800 for the Down's Syndrome Association in the three-mile Junior Great North Run and were congratulated by celebrities at the finish line.

The Queen Elizabeth School pupils were inspired to run because of some friends of Keir's family who have a little boy with Down's syndrome.

Daniel Parkinson, 19, of Kendal, beat some of the elite runners to finish in just one hour and 18 minutes, a couple of minutes ahead of his friend, Alistair Russell, also of Kendal.

Daniel's proud father, Gary, explained how his son had improved on his time of last year as he and Alistair had taken it in turns to set the pace during the race.

The Gazette's deputy head of content Michaela Robinson-Tate finished in two hours and 23 minutes, knocking five minutes off last year's time, despite suffering from a stomach bug. She hopes to raise £500 for the New Holehird appeal to keep open Windermere's home for disabled people.