Two journalists who ran the Great North Run on Sunday in memory of a former colleague have raised £500.

Tom Wilkinson and Mark Woods completed the course in memory of their former Press Association colleague Paul Watson, who was head of news at the Hartlepool Mail when he died from a heart attack last year aged 50.

Tom, from Chester-le-Street, and Mark, from Coventry, completed the course in two hours to raise the cash for LIVErNorth.

Said Tom: “We were so pleased to get out there and do something positive in Paul’s memory.”

Meanwhile Northern Echo reporter Richard Mason continued to defy arthritis to complete the course in 2 hours 6 minutes, around 15 minutes faster than last year’s time.

Richard has set himself the challenge of running two half marathons in as many weeks and is due to run the Redcar Half Marathon later this month.

Also completing the course in a none-too-shabby time of 1 hour 50 minutes was Trinity Mirror regional editorial director Neil Benson.

Neil was running in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society with his son Joe, who finished six minutes faster on 1 hour 44 mins.

Neil said afterwards:  “Very happy with that but my knees are creaking today.”

Trinity Mirror digital publishing director David Higgerson, who was running in aid of Rosemere Cancer Foundation, finished in 2 hours 23 mins.