AS ATHLETES head across the finish line of the London Marathon, runners from Oxfordshire are celebrating a sterling effort for charity fundraising.

Officer at RAF Brize Norton Ross Carter shaved off 20 minutes from his personal best in a giant nurse outfit.

Major Carter, who has been in the military for 22 years, raced past the finish line in a time of five hours and 30 minutes.

The dad-of-two, who was running in the 13-feet foam outfit for the fifth time, smashed his previous PB of five hours and 50 minutes in the two-stone costume called “Nessa.”

The 37-year-old, who has toured Afghanistan, Iraq and Bosnia said: “I think in one word I would describe the outfit as hot.

"The crowd was just fantastic and they really got me going, now I’m off for a pasty and to find my family in London."

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Mr Carter has so far raised £1,000 for WellChild. To donate visit justgiving.com/rosscarter2008/

A clinical researcher at Oxford University completed her first ever London Marathon in under five hours.

Dr Helen Ashdown from Kidlington, who is also a GP at Summertown Health Centre, battled through the 26-mile run in a time of four hours 39 minutes and 55 seconds.

The 31-year-old, who researches treatments for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, said: “The crowd were just phenomenal, having people call out your name was just amazing.

“It was really tough and during the middle you feel like you can’t go on.

“But the crowd surprised me with how personal it was, there were screaming things like ‘come on’.”

Dr Ashdown has so far raised £2,000 for The British Lung Foundation, to donate visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/HelenAshdown.

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COWLEY resident Marc West stormed through his first London Marathon with a time of three hours and 43 minutes.

The freelance photographer, raising money for Helen and Douglas House, had set himself a target of four hours but surpassed expectations with flying colours.

The 33-year-old said: “It blew all my expectations away, I have done a lot races before and the atmosphere at these events is wonderful but I think London is the daddy of all world races.

“The atmosphere from the moment you start to the last is unbelievable.

“It is massively demanding on you and more than you can believe, the whole myth about hitting the wall at 20 miles really does happen.”

A bowel cancer survivor from Chipping Norton clocked a time of four hours six minutes and thirty seconds on his first ever marathon.

The dad-of-three Chris Bray, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2010 but now has the all clear, raised £4,300 for the Bobby Moore Fund.

Mr Bray said: “I think it was everything I hoped it might be.

“The crowd were just unbelievable and they got louder as the race went on.

“The first time I saw my wife and children I rushed over to give them a hug during the race.

“The second time I saw them there were at the Houses of Parliament part and it really spurred me on.”

Three Witney runners broke the world record for the fastest time in a three person costume at the London Marathon today.

Andy Church, his wife Heather Smith and Laura Jones clocked a time of four hours and 56 minutes in a giant toy box resembling “Andy’s Toys” from Toy Story.

The trio, all members of Witney Road Runners, beat the previous World Record of five hours and 45 minutes.

Mechanical engineer Mr Church, who was dressed as Woody, said: “It was absolutely awesome to break the world record for the fastest time in a three person costume.

“Guinness told us it was a world record and they were happy with everything so they said they would send the certificate through the post.”

Mrs Jones said: “We’re exhausted but we’re on a bit of a high. We set out to achieve what we wanted to.”

To donate got to justgiving.com/laura-jones68.