Runners remember tragic friend

Charlie Butcher from Sheepsetting Lane was a member of the 190-strong team led by Sir Christopher Chataway which aimed to raise funds for Vicky's Water Project.

The project was the brainchild of Adam Chataway, eldest son of Sir Christopher Chataway.

Sir Christopher, born in 1931, was a pacemaker for the historic first-ever four-minute mile achieved by Roger Bannister in 1953, later becoming a broadcaster and Conservative cabinet minister.

He also competed in the race.

His son, Adam was engaged to Victoria Buchanan who was tragically killed in a road accident last year at the age of 28.

She had worked as marketing manager at Chelsea Football Club and Jose Mourinho dedicated the team's Champion's league victory over Barcelona to her.

In 1999 Vicky worked on a water project providing clean running water to a town in Ethiopia.

The project is a charity organised on her behalf which which aims to raise 200,000 to bring fresh, piped water to Lera town.

Vicky had been a Newcastle University student and Sunday saw 190 fellow students, family and friends take part in the run.

Charlie raised a total of 1,000 and runners overall raised 60,000 towards for the charity.

Last year he competed in the Berlin Marathon to raise funds towards setting up an information website for multiple sclerosis sufferers on behalf of another university colleague who was diagnosed with the disease.