London Marathon runner collapses at 23-mile mark in cardiac arrest

London Ambulance Service paramedics treated the person at the scene after he fell near Southwark Bridge

London marathon runner collapse

(David Friend/BBC Radio London)

A runner in the London Marathon has collapsed in cardiac arrest three miles from the finish line.

London Ambulance Service paramedics treated the person at the scene after he fell in Upper Thames Street, near Southwark Bridge, almost 23 miles into the 26.2-mile course.

Images posted to social media appeared to show a large number of emergency services personnel attending to the runner as a cordon was set up at around 1.25pm (GMT).

A tent was set up in order to treat the injured participant.

The person was later taken to St Thomas's Hospital, where the status of the patient was unknown.

Around 40,000 people took part in the race around the English capital, which will see the millionth London Marathon runner to cross the line.

Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge finished in two hours, three minutes and five seconds - just off the world record mark of 2:02:57 set by Dennis Kimetto in Berlin in 2014.

In 2014, Rob Berry, 42, an IT expert from Newbury, Berkshire, collapsed and died after crossing the finish line.