PC’s marathon heroics

An Uppermill policeman who ran the New York Marathon wearing his helmet, fought back the pain as the finishing line drew nearer.

PC Damieon Pickles had to run the last five miles of the 26-mile event in agony from an old recurring knee injury.

But the former rugby league player from Middleton managed to complete the marathon in 4 hours 35 minutes and 8 seconds. He said: “It was one of the hardest challenges I have had to date. But with the sights of the Empire State Building and other skyscrapers enroute and seeing celebrities like Whoopi Goldberg singing at the roadside was encouragement to push many of us along the way and leave memories that will last for a long time.

His next ambition is to complete the 2010-11 Sydney Marathon.