Oxford Half Marathon completed by about 9,000 people

Runners including eventual winner Andrew Heyes (left) started the Oxford Half Marathon outside Balliol College

About 9,000 people have taken part in Oxford's half marathon.

The race started outside Balliol and Trinity Colleges in Broad Street at 09:30 BST and finished on Parks Road.

The number of competitors was slightly down on last year's, with organisers saying it was affected by the recent London Marathon and the Covid pandemic.

Andrew Heyes, a former Oxford student, won the race in a time of 1:05:30. He said it was good to be back in the city.

"It was an absolute pleasure to run around places I used to train at. [The race] was Oxford in all its glory - the colleges, the occasional bypass, Summertown," he said.

Harriet Freeman was the first woman to finish, in a time of 1:18:01.

"The day has been absolutely stupendous. From waking up at dawn, gorgeous sunrise, listening to the birds, then the cool music and warm-up and the atmosphere is buzzing.

"It's my first event in a year as I was on crutches for three months and to have won the Oxford half is an amazing comeback," she said.

The first wheelchair finisher, Gary Cooper, completed the course in 1:00:53, and said the race conditions were "perfect".

He secured a personal best in Oxford having completed the city's half marathon three times before.

Martin Realey and Tom Coker at the start of the race, which they completed to raise money for the Oxford-based SSNAP charity

Other competitors donned unusual costumes or undertook difficult challenges over the course.

Martin Realey, the director of SSNAP, which supports sick and premature babies in Oxford, and Tom Coker, both ran for the charity with washing machines strapped to their backs.

The route takes runners past the city's famous university colleges, museums and university parks. All competitors must complete the 13.1-mile (21.1km) course within three hours and 30 minutes.