A BIG-hearted runner from Looe finished the London Marathon – and gave his own medal to a man he went back to help over the finish line.

Phil Shepley had never met Dean Godwyn before Sunday's race, but through a mutual friend, Tim Slee, he had heard about Dean's quest to complete the marathon, despite suffering from spina bifida.

'Friends told me about this lad with spina bifida who was going to be missed because of the "sweep" at the end of the race,' said Phil. 'There's a designated time frame to finish in and once you get beyond a certain time they want to open the roads,' he explained.

Looe Pioneer Phil, 36, finished in 4 hours 16 minutes, and, after meeting other runners for charity the Lord's Taveners, he decided to go back and join the friends who were giving Dean moral support for the last few miles. Dean had been jogging and walking for almost 12 hours and was battling constant pain. When Phil heard that no one would be there to recognise Dean's effort with a medal, he decided to make his kind gesture.

'Dean finished at about ten past ten – there were still people there, but they were just clearing up,' said Phil.

Dean, of West London, said he entered the ballot for a place in the marathon and 'left the rest to fate'.

'Entering the marathon wasn't something I'd had an ambition to do, as I'd thought it was so far outside my comfort zone.

'I jogged the first three or four miles and then walked the rest. After about six miles there was no way I could have lifted my legs to run – I was in a lot of pain. It was just a case of putting one foot in front of the other.'

Once the roads are reopened, slower runners have to use footpaths and pavements, and the markers which log people's times are cleared away, explained Dean.

The 31-year-old described how he used walking poles in the last six miles, and, with the support of his girlfriend and friends, made it to the finish.

'I knew I wasn't going to get a medal – you don't get one after eight hours,' said Dean, who says ITV approached Virgin London Marathon to try to get a medal on his behalf, but were turned down.

'When Phil gave me his medal, it was pure shock and happiness that someone would do that – especially as I didn't know him.

'I think it was his first marathon – if it was me I don't think I'd have liked to give my medal away.'

For Phil, though, it seemed a natural thing to do. 'For anyone it's an achievement but when Dean was a kid, he was told he'd never be able to walk. It seemed like he was more deserving of it than I was.'

To support Phil in his fundraise for the Lord's Taveners (engaging disadvantaged and disabled young people through sport), visit http://www.ukvirgin">www.ukvirgin moneygiving.com/PhilShe pley1 and to help Dean fundraise for Shine, which helps individuals and families meet the challenges of spina bifida, visit http://www.ukvirginmoneygiving.com/DeanGodwyn">www.ukvirginmoneygiving.com/DeanGodwyn