SUFFOLK'S charity fun runners can finally put their feet up today after months of training ended in a gruelling London Marathon.Sweltering temperatures engulfed the event's record entry of 36,391.

SUFFOLK'S charity fun runners can finally put their feet up today after months of training ended in a gruelling London Marathon.

Sweltering temperatures engulfed the event's record entry of 36,391.

Temperatures hit nearly 21C at noon yesterday, almost equalling the 1996 record, and rose slightly higher later in the day.

Hundreds of thousands of pounds were raised by Suffolk's marathon runners to go with the millions raised throughout the country.

However, their self-sacrifice was amid reported "nightmare" conditions as ambulance staff said they dealt with a higher than usual number of patients.

London Ambulance Service said this year's event was busier than usual, with participants and spectators affected by the heat. A spokeswoman said some people were suffering heat-related problems such as dehydration as well as sprains and other injuries.

A London Marathon spokeswoman said 57 people were taken to hospital, slightly fewer than last year.

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, who was running his eighth marathon, said: "It was like running in a desert today. I stopped to help one guy. It was quite bad. They were dropping like flies.”

See tomorrow's Evening Star for a comprehensive round-up of how the county's charity runners got on.

If you took part in yesterday's marathon and have photographs, or video, of your special day send it in to starnews@eveningstar.co.uk or video@eveningstar.co.uk