The Great North Run - Great for Charity and Athletics....

The Great North Run the second biggest half marathon in the world was another runaway success this year, providing a welcome boost to the struggling local economy and raising an estimated £28m for charity.

The men's race featured one of the most dramatic finishes in the event’s history, which cemented the outstanding day in the public mind.

The race reached came to thrilling end when Britain's Olympic hero Mo Farah, the best long distance runner in the world, entered into an epic duel with Ethiopian rival Kenenisa Bekele which saw him lose out by one second at the last.

Mighty Mo commented after the last gasp sprint: "It was a great race. It was a great finish.

"I thought when Kenenisa went with a mile to go I thought the pace was just ridiculous!

"I thought I'd come back and close the gap slowly. I managed to close a little bit of it. But you know, you can't take away what he has. He has a great speed and it came down to the last 200m."

Their dual and breathtaking sprint finish is sure to be remembered for years to come. As will the sight of the near 56,000 runners who braved the awful weather forecasts and enhanced the reputation of this remarkable event, which was officially started by World 400m Champion Christine Ohuruogu and England Cricketer Graeme Swann.

David Hart, spokesman for organisers Nova International, said: “It was an incredible day – one of the greatest races in athletics history.

“It had probably the greatest finish of any Great North Run in recent years, the crowd were sensational, and it was a great day for the region and the 56,000 runners involved.

“Thankfully the weather didn’t turn out to be quite as challenging as had been forecast.

“A couple of people have been taken to hospital and are under observation, but overall it was a fantastic day and Nova, as organisers, are very, very proud of how it went.”

The race was not just about the professional athletes though, it boasted a variety of interesting and famous characters, from celebrities like former football star turned TV pundit Robbie Savage (alongside referee Graham Poll) and Spice Girl Mel C, to hordes of fun runners who took part to achieve personal race goals and raise huge amounts of cash for a range of worthy cause.

During the race an estimated 82,000 litres of water was drunk by parched runners.

From just 12,000 competitors at the first run in 1981, the event has now grown to more than 55,000 accepted entrants from more than 100,000 applicants.