Marathon ends in entry controversy

Colin Paton, 33, from the British Army's Athletic Association, was first home in two hours, 34 minutes and 41 seconds, knocking six minutes off his winning time last year of two hours, 40 minutes and 13 seconds.

The physical training instructor with the First Battalion Irish Guards thought he had made it two in a row in the marathon now rated third best in the country by Runner's World magazine.

But organisers of the race, now in its 24th year, decided to disqualify him because he was wearing race number 886, originally allocated to fellow soldier Carl Povey.

When Mr Povey decided not to run with just a few days to go before the race, Mr Paton took over his race number, but failed to notify organisers before the 26-mile run around Abingdon and surrounding villages began.

After Mr Paton was disqualified, first place was awarded to Trevor Hunter, who finished second out of 1,100 entries, and 750 runners on the day.

Mr Paton said: "It's my own fault - I tried to get through to the organisers on the phone before the race to let them know but I couldn't get through. I suppose I should have sent an e-mail.

"I ran a good race, but I'll just have to accept it - rules are rules, and that's life. I'll just have to come back and prove them wrong next year."

Mr Paton said he was frustrated by the decision because he was well clear of Mr Hunter, 37, from Marlow, who finished with a time of two hours, 37 minutes and five seconds.

"If we had been neck and neck it would have been a bit different," said Mr Paton, who is preparing for a tour of Iraq next year.

Mr Hunter, from Handy Cross Runners, said: "I don't really want to take first place like this because Colin has run a great race and I have been well beaten, but I will accept first place reluctantly if that is what the organisers insist."

After organisers awarded Mr Hunter the trophy for first place, Philip Hailes, from Witney Road Runners was second with a time of two hours 39 minutes and 58 seconds, while Michael Aldridge, of Wootton Road Runners, who finished with a time of two hours, 40 minutes and 50 seconds, was promoted to third place.

Announcer Ivor Hopkins said: "We didn't tell the crowd during the prize-giving that Mr Paton had been disqualified, although some of them obviously realised something had happened.

"He knows he has made a mistake, and at least he had the satisfaction of actually winning the race."

Race organiser Gary Richards added: "Alarm bells started ringing when I saw him cross the line and realised he was last year's winner.

"I knew he hadn't been entered in the race.

"We have to stick to the rules because if a runner collapses and he is wearing someone else's race number, we could end up notifying the wrong family."

Race referee Barry Strange added: "The rules are there to protect the runners, so we have to stick to them.

"We can't understand how such an experienced runner has got himself in this situation."

Organisers said the race, which featured runners from nine nations including those from Abingdon's French twin town of Argentan, went smoothly apart from Mr Paton's disqualification. It was Mr Paton's 18th marathon and he has won three before.

Marie Synott-Wells, 42, the first woman to finish the race in two hours, 58 minutes and 50 seconds, praised race marshalls.

She finished 49th and said: "It was very well organised and very friendly. It was a fast course but I enjoyed it and I would definitely come back."

Runners for the Akzo Nobel-sponsored event start and finish at Tilsley Park leisure centre and run through Radley, Abingdon town centre, Culham, Sutton Courtenay, and Drayton.

Runners were raising money for Sir Michael Sobell House at the Churchill Hospital, and See Saw, the Oxford-based charity that works with bereaved children.

Sandy Nash, a trustee for the Sobell House Hospice Charity, said: "We need to raise £1m a year to keep the hospice running and these runners do a fantastic jobs.

"I'm sure this event will raise thousands of pounds."