Leighton lads Matt and Alex raise £3k for WheelPower by running London Marathon

Former Vandyke Upper School pupils, Alex Eddy, 23, and Matt Tizzard, 25, raised a total of £3,100 for WheelPower, a charity providing sporting facilities at the home of the Paralympics, Stoke Mandeville Stadium.

Matt, who grew up on the Planets Estate, said: “Mile 22 was the hardest. I thought, I’ve gone so far but there’s still another four miles to go!

“There were lots of kids handing out jelly babies along the way - I must have eaten 100 and I’m not exaggerating! When I finished, my overall emotion was happiness. We’re hoping to go along to the WheelPower Junior Games in July.”

Alex, of Clay Furlong, said: “When it was all over I was a bit emotional - the lady put my medal on me and I just hugged her and cried!

“The Isle of Dogs was the hardest part, and at one point a massive guy dressed as a pint glass ran past; I thought ‘I can’t be overtaken by that!’

“We’d like to say thank you to our friends, colleagues and family for their support, and to Chutneys restaurant for hosting our WheelPower curry night in March and to all the businesses who donated.”

To donate, visit the Facebook page ‘Alex Eddy and Matt Tizzard’s Fundraising Page’ and follow the links to Virgin Money Giving.