SUNDAY proved a marathon epic in more ways than one for a Stourport man who finished third from last out of nearly 30,000 runners. Robert Fletcher who took nine hours to complete the London Marathon and missed the coach home.

After taking nine hours to complete the London Mara-thon Robert Fletcher missed his coach home. He returned to Stourport in his running kit after hitching a lift to Trafal-gar Square before catching a train to Birmingham.

But all was not lost for Mr Fletcher, who works for Aquafilm, Hartlebury. He did secure the finishing medal he "had come for" as well as raising hundreds of pounds for children's charity Childline,

The 40-year-old said: "The race began at 9.30am and the coach was due to leave for home at 6pm.

"However, I ended up crossing the finishing line at 7pm because it took me so long, partly because of an injury to my left thigh I picked up near Cutty Sark.

"In fact, when I crossed the line with another woman there were only two other runners behind us!"

Mr Fletcher, of Kylemilne Way, added: ""I was hell bent on finishing and was going to worry about getting home.

"But it was all tremendous fun, even though my nine-year-old daughter, Alexa, and wife, Pat, went home without me. I have raised about £300 for Childline on top of the £1,400 entry fee."