A regional daily editor said he was “chuffed to bits” after completing the London Marathon in just over five hours.

Alun Thorne, editor of the Coventry Telegraph, was one of several regional journalists taking part in yesterday’s event.

He clocked a time of 5 hours 15 minutes for the 26.2 mile race which he entered in a bid to raise £2,500 for Brain Tumour UK.

Alun Tweeted:  “Finished marathon in about 5.15. I sure it’s the hardest thing I’ll ever do but chuffed to bits. Thanks for all the good wishes, it helped!”

Other regional journalists who competed include Bev Thomas, managing editor of the Cambrian News, Jonathon Taylor, reporter at the Western Gazette, and Lucy Wright, reporter at Archant Norfolk.

Jonathon completed the marathon in just over six hours, raising more than £1,700 for Children with Cancer UK.

He said: “It was my first marathon and I found it very difficult in the heat, but I was determined to finish and raise money for such a worthy cause.”

We will add in the other times when they become available.

Alun was inspired to take part in the race by the story of ex-footballer Andy Foote, who lost his son Joseph to a brain tumour in 2007 and set up the Joseph Foote Trust to raise money for research.

The Trust, which raised hundreds of thousands of pounds a year, merged with Brain Tumour UK last year.