Leeds 10k: Complete coverage with video and all the results

Mr Tomlinson, race organiser and the widower of charity fund-raising legend Jane, said he was thrilled with the turn-out for yesterday’s 10km run through the centre of Leeds, with almost 9,000 people taking part from across Yorkshire and beyond.

The event was launched by the late Mrs Tomlinson back in 2007 and has quickly become a major fixture on Leeds’s annual sporting calendar, with much of the city centre closed off to accommodate participants from every walk of life – many in outrageous fancy dress.

More than £2m has been raised over the past four years for the Jane Tomlinson Appeal along with scores of other charities, with the goal now to push the fundraising total to £5m.

Similar 10k runs also now take place in Hull and York, and the first Swim for All event in Wakefield will be held next month, ahead of the inaugural Walk for All Yorkshire Dales Festival of Walking on August 14.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since we started,” Mr Tomlinson said. “The atmosphere here is totally unique, and every year’s different.

“The event is settling into a pattern now, but I have to say we’ve got big, big plans for next year – massive plans, in fact. You’ll just have to wait and see!”

Tickets are already on sale for the 2012 Leeds 10k, currently available at the special price of £20.12 each. The event will take place on Sunday, July 8 – less than three weeks before the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony.

“It’s Olympics year next year, and we’re certainly not going to let that pass by unnoticed,” Mr Tomlinson said. “We’ll be taking things up to a totally new level.

“It’ll be three weeks before the Olympics get started, and if you can’t get people motivated to run then, when can you?”

Yesterday’s anniversary event was another roaring success, with the crowds and runners turning out in droves despite the miserable weather.

“It’s never rained once before for these events, but when I got up this morning and looked outside I really thought it was time to get the brolly out,” said event marketing manager Siobhan Curtis.

“But the rain stopped just as the race was starting and we were really, really happy to see that.”

Celebrities and sporting stars took their places on the starting line alongside thousands of participants including Rebecca Tomlinson, the 23-year-old daughter of Mike and Jane, running for the fifth time.

“It was great to get out there and see everybody,” she said. “This event obviously has such a great atmosphere, and I see so many people I know – quite a few of my friends take part, and I see old teachers from school too. I did it in 47 minutes which isn’t bad – but I have done better!”

Leading the field by some considerable margin, however, was 27-year-old Paul Lockwood, from Wakefield, who crossed the finish line in an impressive time of 32:41 – almost a minute-and-a-half clear of the second-placed runner.

“I came second last year, so it’s really nice to go one better,” Mr Lockwood said. “It’s not my personal best time, but the course is quite twisty and hilly so just to finish ahead of the pack is fantastic.”

Second was 21-year-old Matt Hallam, a runner with Harrogate Harriers, closely followed by 40-year-old John Marshall, from Brighouse.

“I’m absolutely delighted,” Mr Marshall said. “I’m not part of a club and I do all my running on a treadmill, so this is great for me.

“I’m running the New York marathon in November, so to get a place here is a real boost.”

The fastest female was 28-year-old Nicki De-la-Salle, who came home in a personal best time of 36:01. “I’ve come up from Nottingham for this race today, and I’m so happy to get a personal best,” she said.

First to applaud the winners as they stepped up to collect their trophies was one of Britian’s true athletics legends, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.

The former wheelchair athlete, who won 11 gold medals over four Paralympic Games between 1992 and 2004, said she had felt for the runners as they stood in the rain before the event began, and was delighted to see the rainclouds clear away in time.

“Someone up there must be smiling on us,” she said. “It is pretty miserable doing these events in the rain.

“But everyone who’s taken part has done so well.

“They’ll certainly be feeling it a bit on Monday and on Tuesday this week – but just think of all the money they will have raised.”

FACTS AND FIGURES OF A GREAT DAY FOR RAISING VITAL FUNDS

Since the inaugural Jane Tomlinson Run for All in 2007:

* 47,550 people have taken part in the annual Leeds 10K

* More than 100 different charities have benefited from those taking part and raising vital funds, among them the Yorkshire Cancer Centre and Martin House children’s hospice.

* In total more than £4m has been raised for charities both locally and nationally

* 51,886,560 steps have been taken over the five years

Race day facts:

* 75,000 bottles of sports drinks have been drunk

* 565 people are needed to make each race day happen, totalling 2,825 volunteers over the five years

* The fastest time run so far in the Leeds 10K is 30 minutes and 54 seconds

* The sporting personalities to have crossed the finish line over the five years include world marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe, Olympians Steve Cram and Tracey Morris, former England rugby star Matt Dawson and Eddie Gray.