The loose change was counted up on Wednesday at the Sainsbury's store in Vauxhall, south London.

Scott was overwhelmed by the public support

A supermarket machine which counts up to 600 coins a minute did the honours.

At the count, the former professional footballer said: "The response we had for the children was fantastic.

"It did seem like the nation was behind me. There were cab drivers stopping, people throwing money from buildings and cars honking."

He said the worst moment was when his lead boots wore down and he had to "break in" a new pair weighing 22lb.

New York repeat

He was accompanied on his journey by members of the British Army's Green Jackets and friends and family.

Nurses from London Independent Hospital in Stepney, east London, helped to collect donations from people along the route.

Mr Scott said he was overwhelmed by the size of crowds at the finish, although he had to interrupt his "sprint" finish to grab a bottle and answer nature's call in St James's Park.

The former fireman with the London Fire Brigade plans to repeat the feat in November at the New York Marathon, to raise money for families of firemen killed in the terrorist attack.

Bristol-based charity Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood (Clic) will receive the cash raised in London.