A PHYSIOTHERAPIST who ran the New York marathon in memory of her husband has helped to raise £7,000 for research into the disease that claimed his life.

Melanie Albrighton took part in her first marathon at the end of last year after her husband, Ken, died of cancer.

"He was a fit, healthy guy and there were no signs or symptoms, then he started having tummy pains," said Mrs Albrighton, who works for Darlington Primary Care Trust, which is based at the town's Denmark Street surgery.

"We tried every treatment there is, but it wasn't to be and six months later he died. That was the whole reason I wanted to do the New York mara-thon, in memory of Ken, and to raise money to find an answer to this awful disease.

"I thought it was just the thing to stop me feeling sorry for myself.

"So I started training with my neighbour, Andrew Smith, and I was up at 6am every day for a run in the country five days a week."

She and Mr Smith completed the 26-mile run in unseasonably balmy conditions - 28 degrees centigrade and 90 per cent humidity.

"We joked that it was Ken making the sun shine," said Mrs Albrighton, 42, of Middleton Tyas, near Richmond.

Their marathon effort raised £7,000 which was handed over to Yorkshire Cancer Research.

Its fundraising and development officer, Steve Joyce, said: "It's an amazing effort and the most money raised by any of the competitors running for us.

"It is tremendously important that people do these sorts of things for us because we don't receive any money from the Government.

"The proceeds will go into cancer research at universities and hospitals in Yorkshire."

Mrs Albrighton said: "I couldn't have done it without the support of my son, Ryan, and daughter, Natasha. They have been brilliant in supporting me as have my parents, who live next door. Without them it would not have been impossible."