The Bupa Great North Run looks to have smashed the UK record for the largest participation sporting event.

Race organisers estimated between 34,000 and 35,000 runners had successfully completed the half-marathon course between Newcastle and South Shields.

The final number of finishers, which will take several days to verify, was set to break the previous largest participation event, this year's Flora London Marathon (31,648), by several thousand.

More than 50,000 entries were received ahead of the race, but many thousands dropped out before the day itself.

Britain's Paula Radcliffe also added to the record books by taking the women's title, with a new European best for the half-marathon of 67mins 07secs. Tanzanian Faustin Baha took the men's title, finishing in 61mins 57secs, after leading from the start.