A member of a Brent based Islamic charity took part in the gruelling Hackney Half marathon, raising thousands for another good cause which helped his cousin through cancer.

Mohummed Umar Sayed of the Islamic Education and Research and Academy (iERA), in North Circular Road, Neasden, completed the sweat inducing 13 mile trek, to fundraise on behalf of Great Ormond Street Hospital which supported his close relative through leukaemia.

He said: “I ran this as a way to say to thank you to the hospital for their amazing work and the support they provided to my own family.”

Mr Syed, together with fellow colleague, Hamza Andreas Tzortzis senior researcher and lecturer for iERA, raised more than £3,000 for the cancer charity.

Mr Tzortzis said: “Knowing that I was running for a great cause gave me that added motivation too. It was heartening to see so many people from different backgrounds running together for so many noble causes.”