30th Great North Run a star-studded success
Sep 20 2010 by Katie Davies, The Journal
POPULAR Tyneside duo Ant and Dec joined a host of celebrities to sound the starting horn on the 30th Bupa Great North Run yesterday.
More than 54,000 people braved the gloomy weather as they made their way around the 13.1-mile course from Newcastle to South Shields.
And the wet conditions could not dampen the spirits of the elite athletes and families jogging in memory of loved ones.
As he set the runners on their way from the start line of the Central Motorway, Dec said: “We were asked by the Great North Run founder Brendan Foster to start the race ages ago because it was now in its 30th year.
“So we put the date in our diary and came along today. We both get a pistol each to start the race and it’s the first time that they have ever trusted Ant with a gun.
“It’s so exciting to be here and the atmosphere is great. We have never ran the race before but I’m sure that if we did I would beat Ant.”
Other well-known faces at this year’s event included X-Factor winner Joe McElderry, TV presenter and new life peer Baroness Benjamin and model Nell McAndrew.
And as he made his way home to his native South Shields, Joe said he had found time to take part in the run between recording his first album.
