EIGHTEEN year-old Naomi Smith celebrated her birthday by pounding the capital's streets yesterday in the London Marathon.

Naomi, from Hardwicke, joined 110 other runners from Gloucestershire taking part in the 26-mile trek.

Despite finishing outside her target time of four and a half hours, she enjoyed the occasion.

Naomi. who was the youngest woman to enter this year, said: "It was a really nice way to spend my birthday but it was very tough.

"I hit a wall at around 16 miles and when it got closer to the end I didn't think I was going to finish.

"I walked a bit at the end but I got there!"

Naomi, who crossed the line in five hours 30 minutes, was running with her brother Nathan, 25.

The pair have raised more than £500 for the Acorn's Children's Hospice.

Meanwhile, Sue Howells, 44, crossed the finish line alongside her daughter Hannah, 18.

"It was really quite emotional actually to cross the finish line with her," said the Barnwood mum.

"It is such a fantastic occasion and the supporters are amazing. Saying that though, I don't think I'll be running it again because of the huge commitment it demands. But I'm sure Hannah will."

The pair crossed the line around the five hour 20 minutes mark.

Hilary Wilkinson, who took part in memory of her nephew Sam Leeson of Tredworth, could only manage half the distance due to a broken foot.

Hilary, 40, of Cheltenham, was running the race to raise money for an anti-bullying charity.

She had a special boot fitted in place of the plaster cast in order for her to take part, but the pain proved too much.

Hilary added: "I am really disappointed and I feel like I've let a lot of people down.

"It was just so painful, I got to the halfway point, around 13 miles, and I had to call it a day. I just didn't want to risk causing myself a long term injury."

On Saturday, six soldiers and their families from the Military Provost Guard Service Platoon, had a good luck breakfast in preparation for their runs at Imjin Barracks in Innsworth.

Each soldier donned their entire kit, weighing 30lb, while running the race.

They raised £9,000 for the Meningitis Trust.