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Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon: Wife smashes charity fundraising goal

PA Media Lindsey Burrow crossing the finish linePA Media
Lindsey Burrow initially set out to raise £7,777, but has since raised more than £53,000

The wife of rugby league legend Rob Burrow has said she was "lost for words" after smashing her fundraising target at the Leeds Marathon.

Lindsey Burrow was raising money for Leeds Hospitals Charity at the event created in her husband's name.

Rob Burrow, who has motor neurone disease (MND), has been raising money with friend and former Leeds Rhinos teammate Kevin Sinfield.

"The support they received will live with them for ever," she said.

Ms Burrow initially set a target of £7,777 - a nod to the number seven shirt her husband wore when playing.

Since she ran the marathon on Sunday she has raised more than £53,000.

PA Media Rob Burrow, Kevin Sinfield and Lindsey Burrow before the racePA Media
Rob Burrow, Kevin Sinfield and Lindsey Burrow waved runners off during the event on Sunday

"It was just such a special occasion," she told BBC Radio Leeds.

"I've just pulled up at work and I've had so many text messages saying, 'Have you seen your JustGiving page?'

"Honestly, I'm absolutely lost for words. I'm quite emotional actually thinking about it. I'm just a working mum, and I know obviously Rob's wife, but that will make a real difference [to the charity].

PA Media Lindsey setting offPA Media
More than 12,000 people are thought to have run the first ever Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon

More than 12,000 people took part in the inaugural 26.2-mile (42.2km) run, which was set up to raise money for charities following Kevin Sinfield's huge fundraising efforts.

The start time of the race was delayed with so many runners taking on the full marathon and half marathon.

Burrow thanked runners before the races for taking part, following his MND diagnosis in 2019.

Sinfield, who pushed Burrow round the course in a specially-adapted chair, stopped short of the finish to carry his friend over the line.

Watch the emotional moment Rob Burrow is carried over the line

"I've seen the footage of Kevin carrying Rob over the finish line and I just think what a special friendship, what a special bond," said Ms Burrow.

"Rob was delighted to take part in the marathon."

Describing the support of the community as "phenomenal", she added: "I've never experienced anything like that, it was incredible."

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