PAULA Radcliffe romped to one of the easiest victories - and the second fastest time ever - in yesterday's Flora London Marathon.

Rampant Radcliffe roared to the first British success in London since Liz McColgan's runaway win six years ago, clocking a European record time of two hours, 18 minutes and 56 seconds.

Radcliffe ran a perfect debut race and finished comfortably clear of Russia's, Svetlana Zakharova (2:22:31) and Lyudmila Petrova (2:22:33).

On a record breaking day for the country's top distance performer, the Briton also decimated the previous national best of 2:25:56, set by Veronique Marot when she won in London in 1989.

It also broke Joyce Chepchumba's three-year-old women's course record of 2:23:22 and the European and then world record of 2:21:06 Ingrid Kristiansen achieved in the 1985 mixed race.

Radcliffe's unabated front running also saw her produce the fastest time ever run by a marathon newcomer, beating the 2:23:11 Japan's Yoko Shibui ran last year.

Yesterday's success comes just three weeks after she successfully defended her world cross country title.

The prize money and bonuses earned her a huge pay day of £160,000 - and she also picked up a six-figure appearance fee.

Radcliffe banished all doubts about whether she could cope with the 26-mile and 385 yards of tarmac with a sensational victory around the packed streets of the capital.

Showing astonishing confidence for a debutant, Radcliffe's hungry appetite saw her break away from all of her arch rivals - including defending champion and pre-race favourite Derartu Tulu - after seven miles.

Radcliffe said: ''The crowd were amazing and they helped me through the race.

''Whenever I was feeling really bad their support took my mind off it."

In the men's race, Haile Gebrselassie - running his first-ever marathon - saw his dreams of victory and setting a new world record vanish after 25 miles as Khalid Khannouchi stormed to victory.

The world 5,000 and 10,000 metres record holder performed magnificently to claim an Ethiopian record time of 2hours 6mins 35secs.

But Khannouchi had more stamina and he shook off the Ethiopian in the final stretch to win from Paul Tergat and third-placed Gebrselassie.