Patrick Monahan and Hebburn stars complete Great North Run

Pictured: Patrick Monahan celebrates completing the Great North Run with runners in South Shields.

Patrick Monahan and Hebburn actors Victoria Elliott and Neil Grainger have completed the Bupa Great North Run, raising almost £2000 for charity.

Middlesbrough-born Monahan raised over £500 for Zoe’s Place, the Teesside children’s hospice which he also supported for last year’s half-marathon.

The hospice, which offers palliative, specialist respite, and end of life care for infants from birth to five years old, was forced to close last month when a tank in the roof space of the building leaked gallons of water into rooms below.

A spokesperson for Zoe’s Place said that the fundraising is vital to help the hospice open again as quickly as possible.

Monahan completed the 13.1 mile course from Newcastle to South Shields in 1 hour 54 minutes.

Meanwhile, Hebburn actors Neil Grainger and Victoria Elliott joined almost 56,000 runners for the world’s biggest half-marathon.

Grainger, who plays Gervaise, raised over £370 for Cancer Research in memory of his mum, Janet, who died of cervical cancer seven years ago.

Fellow actor Victoria Elliott, who plays Denise in the sitcom, which starts its second series in the autumn, exceeded her fundraising target by almost fifty per cent.

Elliott, together with Newcastle-born Emmerdale actress Laura Norton, raised over £1,100 for Shelter in memory of their friend Lee Halpin, who died in April while filming an immersive documentary about homelessness in the city.

Speaking to Giggle Beats about the stars’ achievements, Newcastle councillor Chris Bartlett, who himself completed his twelfth Great North Run,  said: “Every year thousands of people make the effort to train and then run one of the greatest sporting events in the UK.

“By running and raising money memories remain and some good comes out of possible tragedy.”

The event has grown from just 12,000 competitors at the first run in 1981, to more than 55,000 accepted entrants from more than 100,000 applicants.