Northampton's Kim crosses London Marathon finish line on crutches after breaking hip in 22nd mile
A Northampton woman battled on to finish the London Marathon this weekend after breaking her hip in the 22nd mile.
Kim Lappin, 29, from Kingsthorpe, limped across the finish line surrounded by her family, friends and cheering crowds on Sunday after taking on the final four miles on crutches.
As the race went on, Kim noticed how a pain in her right leg was growing - until, in the 22nd mile in, she put her foot down and couldn't lift it again.
Kim said: "I was devastated. I didn't think I would be able to finish.
"Luckily, the St John's Ambulance team were nearby. They were amazing. They thought I had a broken hip. They said it was fairly common in long-distance runners."
But the crippling injury did not hold Kim back. She called her family for help and within two hours they brought her a spare pair of crutches from her aunt's house.
Back on her feet, Kim limped on through the last leg of the race.
She said: "My fiancee walked with me and in the last mile all my family and friends joined me.
"At the finish line all the crowds were cheering. They had a wheelchair waiting for me and I was taken straight to hospital."
Kim has now had her hip pinned and has begun physiotherapy. She crossed the line in eight hours and 44 minutes.
She said: "I'm so grateful to everyone who supported me. You were all amazing."