THE brother of a popular Newport man who raised thousands for charity as he battled three brain tumours completed the London Marathon in his memory.

Dad-of-two Anthony Hard died in December after setting up the Casey’s Cause charity for his disabled son.

His brother, Mike, and his best friend, Rhys Denley Jones, crossed the finishing line together on The Mall in his honour, on what would have been Anthony’s 37th birthday, both completing the course in four hours and 13 minutes.

The pair have raised about £6,000 together, around half of which was collected on a special golf day held earlier this month. That will be split between charities Tŷ Hafan, Bliss and Casey’s Cause.

Mr Hard said: “It was emotional. The first six miles I was fighting my emotions. I couldn’t catch my breath. I was OK until the end and I had a bit of a wobble.

“My legs are a bit sore, it was alright. It was a struggle but I got around."

“It was very cold and then the sun came out about half the way through.”

Fellow Newportonian Michael Yearsley, who works as a graphic designer for the Monmouthshire Building Society, has raised more than £3,000 for Newport’s St David’s Hospice, also ran the marathon.

He said: “It was brilliant. The atmosphere is just great. The Lliswerry Runners were here in force.

“You can see why people rave about the London Marathon. People are pushing you on. They won’t let you walk.”

Mr Yearsley, who was taking part in his first marathon, will undertake the biggest of its kind in New York in November after completing London’s 26.2 miles in four hours and nine minutes.

“It hasn’t put me off and I’m really looking forward to New York,” he added. “It is a tougher course but I will be hoping to improve my time.”

Newport Mind chief executive Dave Bland completed his fifth London Marathon, raising around £1,400 for the charity. He completed the course in three hours and 59 minutes. Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns completed the course in three hours and 28 minutes.

They joined about 38,000 other runners, with the elite race won by Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, who set a new course record with a time of two hours, three minutes and four seconds. The fastest woman was fellow Kenyan Jemima Sumgong. She finished in two hours, 22 minutes and 58 seconds.

Chairman of Usk in Bloom Tony Kear completed the course in four hours and 59 minutes, collecting £2,600 for St David’s Hospice.

Mr Kear was completing his fifth London Marathon, his first being undertaken when he was Usk mayor in 2009.

He said he was happy to take in London’s sights for the first time rather than trying to get a personal best. He finished in four hours and 59 minutes.

“The first half was on target – two hours 10 – and then I got to mile 18,” he said. “I walked a bit and then stopped for a bit and then picked it up again.”