"Following Roman footsteps"

My spirited future daughterinlaw, K, has just clocked up over £3oo for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign; today she's run 13 miles in our local charity bash, the Chester Half Marathon.

This annual race runs on a stunning route in and around our Roman-walled city; it starts on the Old Dee Bridge by Handbridge ( see photo) and finishes in spectacular fashion ( amid cheering friends and family) on Chester's magnificent racecourse, the Roodee.

Over 2,600 folk took part and believe me, I saw all shapes, sizes and ages.

And as I slouched on the Roodee watching the finish, I spotted among the serious, well-toned athletes: Fred Flintstone, following a hairy-legged, testosterone-fuelled Fairy, also a Lowry man with match-stick legs running with two babes in pushchair, and the most dignified competitor of all, a poe-faced city gent striding out in immaculate pinstripe.

And of course, we saw K, smiling broadly.

Congratulations, K. We hope you're now fast asleep on the sofa.

PS Also very good to see loyal supporters N+L, R+T!