Leeds 10k: Never mind the weather as 9,000 take to the streets (with gallery and full video coverage)

• To view full, interactive results from the race, click the link to the immediate right.

Mr Tomlinson, race organiser and the widower of charity fund-raising legend Jane, said he was thrilled with the turn-out for the 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 of them bedecked 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.

Similar 10k runs also now take place in Hull and York, along with Walk and Swim for All events in other parts of Yorkshire.

“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 run, currently available at the discounted 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?”

Today’s anniversary event was another roaring success, with the crowds and runners turning out in their droves despite the miserable early morning 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 who refused to let the weather dampen their spirits.

Lining up too for the fifth consecutive year was Rebecca Tomlinson, the 23-year-old daughter of Mike and Jane.

“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 about 47 minutes this year which isn’t bad - but I have done better!”

Leading the field by some considerable margin, however, was 27-year-old Paul Lockwood, a professional runner from Wakefield. He 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 today,” he said.

“It’s not actually my personal best time, but the course is quite twisty and hilly so just to finish ahead of the pack is fantastic.

“There was one guy who stayed with me for about the first 6km, but once he dropped away I was pretty much on my own.”

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 to day and I’m so happy to get a personal best,” she said.

“I was running on my own against the clock most of the time, which is never easy, but I’m delighted with how it went.”

First to applaud the winners as they stepped up on stage to collect their trophies at the end of their run 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 - you just get so cold.

“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.”

• To view full, interactive results from the race, click the link above right.

The Yorkshire Post is a media partner for the event and will carry more coverage in Monday’s paper.

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