A 102-year-old veteran of World War II has become the oldest man to complete a half marathon after finishing the Great North Run.
Bill Cooksey, who served in the RAF between 1941 and 1951, covered the 13.1 mile course from
Newcastle to South Shields with the aid of walking companion Gavin Iceton in five hours and 41 minutes.
The centenarian had previously completed 10 miles a day for 10 days for his 100th birthday and cycled 1,000 miles for his 101st birthday,
and took on the challenge to support the County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust.
“I’ve always wanted to do it,” MR Cooksey told ITV ahead of the event.
“I’ve been up here 30 years and always walked, and when I heard about the Great North Run I thought ‘I’ll be able to do that surely,’
because there’s the additional impetus of the NHS.
“Actually I don’t think I would have done it if it wasn’t of benefit to the NHS.”