QUARRY Bank tennis player Stacey Billingham has netted £2,500 and counting for children’s charity Get Kids Going after completing her first London Marathon.

The 29-year-old, who runs the Prosser Tennis Academy at Quarry Bank Tennis Club with her sister Nikki Parkes, had always wanted to take part in the event and managed to complete the gruelling race in five hours and 41 minutes.

She said: “It wasn’t about the time for me – it was about ticking it off my bucket list and to give back to something I’m passionate about. I’d have crawled over the finish line if I’d had to. I thoroughly enjoyed doing it but I don’t think I’ll ever do it again. I’ve had my life on hold since Christmas.”

Money raised by Stacey, from Brierley Hill, who is head of PE at Summerhill School in Kingswinford, will help young disabled athletes to achieve their sporting dreams.

She said: “I’ve raised £2,500 so far and it’s still going up.”

Anyone wishing to boost Stacey’s sponsorship further can make a donation online at https://www.justgiving.com/Stacey-Billingham

Meanwhile - Wordsley husband and wife team Lee and Helen Small completed this year’s London Marathon within minutes of each other.

Special needs teacher and fitness instructor Helen, aged 44, managed to get round the 26.2-mile course on Sunday (April 24) in four hours and 50 minutes – while 43-year-old Lee, chairman of Kingswinford based Kewford Eagles Football Club, crossed the finish line after four hours and 54 minutes.

Helen, who volunteers at Kewford Eagles and who was running her third marathon, looks to have raised around £700 in sponsorship for Action Heart – while first-time marathon runner Lee has raised between £400 and £500 for the NSPCC.

Lee said: "Helen started 15 minutes before me from the green start point, while I ran from the blue start. I couldn’t catch her up but I got under five hours so I was happy with that.”

He added: “It was an amazing experience. I can’t believe it. The crowd were out of this world from mile one to mile 26. It was very tough and we’re suffering for it today but we raised lots of money.”

Anyone wishing to boot their fundraising efforts for Action Heart and the NSPCC can log onto https://www.justgiving.com/helenruns26/ or go to the Virgin Money Giving website and type in Lee Small - or click here.