It is almost like I have had my own personal crowd for the last six days

Lloyd Scott

He is claiming to have set the record for the slowest ever time to complete the 26-mile course.

Crowds cheered on Mr Scott, from Rainham in Essex as he finally crossed the line at 1814 BST.

Women's race winner Paula Radcliffe was at the finishing line to present him with his well deserved medal.

Mr Scott said he was tired but elated to have finally finished.

"We never expected anything like this.

"We have achieved what we set out to - raising money for Clic and providing the money so they can give services to kiddies and their families fighting these devastating illnesses."

Inspiration

And he said he hoped he had been a "little bit of inspiration" to other cancer and leukaemia sufferers fighting their own personal battles.

Lloyd hopes to enter the record books with his time

Mr Scott was diagnosed with leukaemia in 1987 and ran his first marathon as part of a fitness regime to prepare for a bone marrow transplant two years later.

"It is almost like I have had my own personal crowd for the last six days," he said.

He was only able to travel 400 metres at a time, before stopping for a breather.

And he admitted that he had wondered on Thursday morning if he would be able to finish because the pain had got so bad.

The 40-year-old said he would have to see if his wife Carole was nearby before answering the question whether he would ever do it again.

He now wants to cycle across Australia which would mean he had done a major fundraising event in the seven continents.

"I won't be doing in a diving suit, that's a dead cert," he added.