With temperatures only ever hitting a low of 29.5C during the four-hour slog, the Donegal walker was never lower than 19th as a field of 46 produced 28 finishers – 14 of whom were forced to drop out during the longest event in the programme.

CHINESE surgeons yesterday said they successfully operated on a man with a 33lb tumour that hung down from his face, obscuring his features and warping his backbone.

Chinese surgeons today said they successfully operated on a man with a 33lb tumour that hung down from his face, obscuring his features and warping his backbone.

Two men have been arrested in eastern China on suspicion of raping and murdering at least six girls and teenage women after arranging dates with them over the Internet, a police spokeswoman said today.