35,000 runners – and a Jedi – survive the London heat

It was the sort of occasion – unlike some this month – where thousands of like-minded people took to the streets of London, yet even the police could enjoy an upbeat day.

More unusual contenders in the 2009 Flora London Marathon included a producer from London, a human chain comprising 29 runners, a man clad in Jedi robes and a couple who called into a church to get married after 20 miles.

The celebrity runners included Katie Price and husband Peter Andre, alongside Gordon Ramsay and Boyzone's Ronan Keating, both of whom finished the race in just over four hours.

With the UK heading towards its hottest April in a decade, the sunny weather that hit 16C was in marked contrast to 2008 which saw intermittent bursts of chilly rain.

And in a nod to Eighties nostalgia, those seen sweltering in heat-absorbing costumes included cartoon character Danger Mouse, and two men dressed as Baywatch's Mitch and CJ. Overall, 35,000 people ran in the 26.2-mile race.