Dublin fireman runs marathon with 'child' on his back, pops the question on the finish line

A busy day yesterday for fitness fanatic and firefighter Padraig 'Paudie' Thompson. Fair dues.

Among the 14,000 people from 47 countries who took part in yesterday's SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon, there was one figure who stood out - Dublin fireman Padraig 'Podge' Thompson.

Tallaght-based Podge ("only my mammy calls me Padraig"), a fitness fanatic who is also runs a training bootcamp in Dublin which works with local community groups and disadvantaged youth, took on the marathon carrying a 40kg mannequin on his shoulders, representing the weight of a young child.