WHEN Tracey Cramond crossed the finish line and became the millionth person to complete the historic Great North Run she could picture her late mother at her side, waving her pom-poms in celebration.

A day after the Darlington grandmother made history, she said her mother – Lynn Liddell – had been the wind beneath her wings as she finished the famous race in a blaze of glory.

Speaking during a visit to Butterwick Hospice – the Stockton-based charity that will benefit from her fundraising efforts – Ms Cramond said she had taken up running just over a year ago, after her beloved mother had a leg amputated.

She said: “I’d almost decided to pull out because I hadn’t focused on my training enough, but I thought I couldn’t let people down and I couldn’t let my mum’s memory down.

“I lost my mum in June 2013 after she had a procedure she didn’t recover from.

“She had her leg amputated and I thought I’d be her legs and she could be the wind beneath my wings.

“She’d be thrilled to pieces about all of this and pleased about the money raised for the Butterwick.

“I chose the Butterwick as they do such amazing work in our region and they’re a charity very close to my mum and me – she admired the work they do, especially with children.”

Regular fundraiser Ms Cramond, who ran the race alone and finished in around three hours, said she was still recovering from the shock of being thrust into the limelight – as well as from the aches and pains that are a more common side-effect of running a 13-mile race.

She raised more than £400 for the Butterwick Hospice and was presented with a unique finishers’ medal by Lord Sebastian Coe and a special pair of gold trainers by race sponsor Puma.

The 51-year-old said: “Being part of history is quite daunting, but I think every GNR runner should go down in history as they’re all just like me, going out there and running their little feet off for good causes.

“I took that medal yesterday for every runner this year and for all of the runners who went before me.”

She added: “This has been very challenging, mostly because of the fitness needed and the heat yesterday – but I’ll do it again next year, without a doubt.”