A member of staff at King’s Ely has described completing the London Marathon as the “best experience of my life."

Alice Kneeshaw, senior Chef de Partie at King’s Ely, said she dreamt of taking part in the 42-kilometre challenge ever since she was a little girl.

Putting her stamina to the test, Alice has raised more than £600 for Asthma + Lung UK, a charity that King’s Ely has proudly supported for years.

More than 12 million people in the UK will develop a lung condition during their lifetime, research from the charity shows.

Lung disease is the third largest killer in the UK, but only two per cent is spent on publicly funded research.

Ely Standard: Alice Kneeshaw, said she dreamt of taking part in the 42-kilometre challenge ever since she was a little girl.Alice Kneeshaw, said she dreamt of taking part in the 42-kilometre challenge ever since she was a little girl. (Image: Alice Kneeshaw)

Alice crossed the finish line in six hours, two minutes, and 55 seconds.

She said: "Crossing the finish line was incredible. I cannot explain the feeling. It was the best experience of my life.

“It was hard, but the atmosphere got me through it. I had cramp in my left foot from the ninth mile that I could not shift but I managed to carry on.”

This year marked Alice’s first ever marathon having entered the ballot for the last 10 years.

She added: "My dad has completed four marathons, so I have always been inspired to take part by him.

“However, I mainly decided to do this to challenge myself and to prove that you can do anything if you really want to.

“I also struggle with my mental health and training for the marathon has really helped me! I have dreamt of doing this since I was a little girl, so it is a dream come true for me.”

Asked if she would run another marathon, Alice said: “I am definitely up for doing it again.”

To continue sponsoring Alice, you can visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/a-kneeshaw-1698514238391