Wakefield  runners race in Great North Run for two district hospices and the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation

They raced in the half marathon in Newcastle for Wakefield Hospice, The Prince of Wales Hospice and the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation.

Mum-of-three Simone Gowthorpe, 34, helped raised over £1150 for the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation on behalf of her son Theo’s classmate, Ada, who has a rare form of liver disease.

Simone said: “I knew it would be tough, but Ada has been through some very tough times and may well be facing a liver transplant one day.

"It was incredible, and I loved every minute. It was a wonderful event to be a part of and it really spurred us on knowing Ada was waiting at the finish.”

Simone completed the Great North Run in two hours and 47 seconds.

James Parkinson completed the race in one hour and 46 minutes and has currently raised £420 in aid of The Prince of Wales Hospice.

He said: “I was running the Great North Run for different reasons.

"First being that in the past, the hospice was fantastic in the care they provided for my grandmother as she entered the last stages of her life.

"Also, as a headteacher for a trust in Pontefract we have supported the hospice with many fundraisers, I felt this was a good personal challenge for myself to hopefully raise the needed donations for the hospice.

“It was definitely a gruelling run and my legs are paying for it now.”

One of the runners, Sarah Ambler, who completed the course in two hours 19 minutes and 40 seconds, was running on behalf of Wakefield Hospice, in memory of her mum who spent her final days at the hospice 13 years ago.

Sarah said: “My mum, Linda Verity, had secondary breast cancer and stayed at the hospice a few times for pain management and the staff were just so lovely, she really enjoyed her respite stays.

"At the end, my mum spent her final days at the hospice and again the staff were so kind and caring and couldn’t do enough for us as a family, especially on the day she passed.”