Thousands take part in Great Manchester Run

Date published: 19/05/2008

Crowds packed the streets of central Manchester to cheer on 31,000 runners in the Bupa Great Manchester Run.

Runners of all abilities took part in the 10km road race, including Rochdale Rotary Club member Keith Trinnaman raising money for Macmillian in honour of his terminally ill sister, Joy; Rochdale Observer reporter Helen Johnson  raising money for Springhill Hospice (whose time of 1 hour 8 minutes was a personal best and 19 minutes faster than last year), but sadly not Rochdale Online's Brad Journeaux whose plans were scuppered by an ankle injury.

Runners and spectators lined up in the sunshine as football legend Denis Law and Olympic cycling hope Rebecca Romero started the event on Sunday morning.

Jo Pavey became the first woman to defend her title with a convincing victory in the woman's race.

She headed off her challengers in the final kilometre by 10 seconds in a time of 31 minutes and 58 seconds.

Austrian Gunther Weidlinger won a thrilling men's race in a time of 28 minutes 10 seconds.

The elite athletes were followed by thousands more runners, many of whom are raising money for charity.

Organisers were forced to turn away thousands of applicants for the event.