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on September 13, 2026

Andy Burnham among Great North Run 2026 finishers

Andy Burnham crossing the finishing line in South Shields. He is clenching his fists and looking upwards with an expression of strain, and wearing a pink and purple T-shirt with changing lives on it. Behind him stretch out the hoardings with crowds of spectators, and another runner leans on it to the left, with two more standing on the right. — Image caption,
Prime Minister Andy Burnham ran the race in 01.57 for homelessness charity Changing Lives

ByPamela Tickell

North East and Cumbria

Updated 3 hours ago

The Great North Run (GNR) returned to Tyneside this weekend, with 63,000 runners taking part in the world's biggest half marathon - including Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

England star and Newcastle captain Dan Burn rang the starter's bell, with famous faces including football personality Chris Kamara and fitness coach Joe Wicks taking on the challenge.

The 13.1-mile (21km) event saw runners and wheelchair users race from Newcastle through Gateshead and South Tyneside, before finishing in South Shields.

Britons David Weir and Melanie Woods won the men's and women's elite wheelchair races respectively. Brigid Kosgei won the elite women's contest and Zouhair Talbi won the men's race.

The half marathon is in its 45th year and raises about £25m for charity each time.

Figure caption,

'I loved it' - Andy Burnham completes Great North Run

Plumes of colour fill the skies as runners cross the start line of the AJ Bell Great North Run. There are hundreds of people in running gear setting off under the red archway and down the grey tarmac road. — Image caption,
The 13.1-mile (21km) route goes from Newcastle to South Shields

Dan Burn at the start of the Great North Run. He is wearing a white Adidas shirt with the black lines on the sleeve. He stands next to a red start bell with the words Ring my Bell and AJ Bell in white letters. — Image caption,
Newcastle captain Dan Burn was this year's race starter

Five runners crossing the finishing line. To the left, and slightly behind, is a woman holding a water bottle, and appearing to be clapping her hands. A woman in front, wearing an orange vest, is also applauding. Behind her is a man who appears to be patting the centre runner, who is football personality Chris Kamara, on the back. He is wearing a black t-shirt with Prostate Cancer UK and dark glasses. Next to him another man, also wearing a black Prostate Cancer t-shirt, is clapping. Crowds of spectators line the hoardings behind the finish line. — Image caption,
Football personality Chris Kamara (centre) was running to raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK

Brendan Foster, who has short white hair and is wearing a white shirt, has his arm slung over Andy Burnham who is wearing a pink running shirt with the number 10 pinned to it. They are both smiling brightly. Burnham, who has short black hair, is also holding a small clip on microphone. — Image caption,
Prime Minister Andy Burnham, pictured with Brendan Foster, sported a Number 10 bib

The prime minister said he was "very happy" with his finish time of under two hours - 01.57 - and was raising money for North East charity Changing Lives, which he visited last month to launch a national drive to end rough sleeping.

"You see the causes people are running for, all pulling together for the bigger cause," Burnham said. "It's just a day that reminds you how good this country is when it's together like this.

"This part of the world, it doesn't half shine on a day like this. The warmth of the people comes out - the people in the race with you, the people on the sidelines."

As always, runners donned a variety of costumes in the bid to raise funds for good causes. Among them were nuns, horses and a pair of ovaries.

Two race participants dressed as giant ovaries hold fundraising buckets for the ovarian cancer charity Ovacome. It is a white sphere with a pink design coming out the top. — Image caption,
About £25m is raised for charity each year

Three runners dressed in inflatable horse costumes walk along a sunlit road carrying fundraising buckets. — Image caption,
Runners donned a variety of fun costumes

A runner in a spiderman costume with arms raised crossing the Tyne Bridge. To either side and behind are fellow runners. — Image caption,
Spiderman took time off from catching villains to take part

Runners in bright running gear stream across the green metal Tyne Bridge wich is obscured by scaffolding and bordered by metal fencing. — Image caption,
The famous Tyne Bridge crossing looked a little different this year as scaffolding obscured parts of it

The Tyne Bridge is undergoing a major restoration project so large parts of it were covered in scaffolding.

Several planned road closures were in place across the day, meanwhile a burst water main at the roundabout near the A189 Redheugh Bridge caused traffic disruption around Gatehead.

Mini & Junior Great North Run

Two children are perched on the shoulders of a group of four adults. They are all smiling and cheering at the camera as they walk along the road which is full of crowds of people. The children are wearing red and blue running numbers. — Image caption,
Saturday kicked off with Mini and Junior events on Newcastle's Quayside

Saturday's Mini and Junior events on Newcastle's Quayside saw 13,000 young people take on courses ranging from 50m (164ft) to 4km (2.5 miles).

Gladiators Alex Gray (Apollo), Emily Steel (Dynamite) and Matty Campbell (Bionic) rang Saturday's starters' bell alongside GNR mascot Tyney the Tortoise.

According to organisers, this year's Mini and Junior events were the biggest in its 40-year history.

They gave youngsters "the chance to experience their own Great North Run moment - creating memories, soaking up the atmosphere and, for many, getting a taste of what the main event feels like", they added.

Hundreds of children are running along the cordoned off road, with adults dotted amongst them. There is an inflatable red branded archway, which reads: "AJ Bell Great North Run junior & mini". Crowds of onlookers are holding up their phones. — Image caption,
This year's Mini and Junior events saw 13,000 young people take part

Two youngsters are wearing red running gear. One of them is wearing a red cape with pictures stuck to it and letters which spell out "Lydia". The other child is holding the cape up. They are both smiling at the camera while crowds gather on the grey tarmac road behind them. — Image caption,
Saturday's event saw youngsters take on courses ranging from 50m (164ft) to 4km (2.5 miles)

A young person sitting in a wheelchair with arms raised, and wearing a red t-shirt with a race number. Behind can be seen part of the route for the "AJ Bell Great North Run junior & mini", with barriers to either side, lined by posters. — Image caption,
The route was accessible for children who use wheelchairs

The 2026 medal was designed by local artist Alex Mulholland - known as Mul - and features the Tyne Bridge.

"The design celebrates the stories behind each runner, and the incredible causes that inspire so many people to take on the event," he said.

Alex Mulholland is standing beside a large mock-up of the medal and smiling at the camera. The black, green and red cartoon design features the zig-zagged metal features of the Tyne Bridge in the middle, with two heart-shaped characters running on either side. — Image caption,
Local artist Alex Mulholland - known as Mul - designed this year's medal

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