Oxfordshire runners have begun crossing the finish line of the Flora London Marathon.

Stephen Evins, from Wolsey Court, Woodstock, said he felt brilliant after completing his first marathon.

The 28-year-old finished the 26-mile race in 3hr 32mins.

He said: “I wanted to do it in three and a half hours but didn’t expect to.

“I feel great. The atmosphere was amazing.

“The weather was nice and sunny a bit hotter than I would have liked, but it was a perfect day.”

The IT salesman for CI-Net in Kidlington, pledged to raise £2,200 for Helen and Douglas House Hospice in East Oxford.

Mr Evins added: “I continued to run all the way round. It was hard and on a few occasions I began to slow down but the crowd was there to cheer me on and keep me going.”