AN INSPIRING 80-year-old from Old Colwyn has just tackled her fifteenth London Marathon to raise around £1400 for a local charity.

Margaret Williams took on the UK’s biggest marathon and completed the course with a time of 5hrs 16mins 46secs - which is nearly an hour better than her last run out.

Having previously completed the 26.2mile course on behalf of the likes of Leukaemia research and the Stroke Unit at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, this time Margaret was supporting a cause closer to her own heart.

Her husband Norman received care at the St. David’s Hospice Day Therapy Centre in Llandudno before he passed away in 2010. That is why she decided it was time to give back.

“When my husband was there, the staff were friendly and I want to help maintain that fantastic standard of care they have there,” she said.

“This was my fifteenth London Marathon and I completed it in a quicker time than the last one so I feel it went very well.”

Margaret, who trains three to four times a week and also joins in with yoga sessions at her local leisure centre, first took on the London Marathon when she was 50 years old.

“My love for running came about when I was 47, unfit, and decided to do something about it,” she added.

“I started out running on the promenade in Old Colwyn in the dark so that nobody could see me. Three years later, I applied for the London Marathon and was accepted first time, much to my horror.

“The number of runners involved in the race has come along way over the last thirty years, but I really do enjoy it and raising money for good causes such as St. David’s feels great."

Margaret's personal best for the London Marathon is 4hrs 7mins. Her daughter Susan, who was there to watch her cross the finish line on Sunday, praised her mum's "boundless energy".

“The whole family are really proud of their mum/nan and she is always great for an impromptu game of football or rounders too," she said.

“The day after the marathon, she already had her next running goal in mind, so we’re looking forward to hearing about that.

“It’s always a big family conversation piece whenever we hear about how the training plan is going.”

Margaret says she is now aiming to possibly enter the Chester half marathon set to take place in October.