A RUNNER has proved that being dressed as a six-foot banana is no handicap to athletic prowess.

John Collins was part of a 25-strong team who completed last weekend's Great North Run dressed as giant bananas, to raise £25,000 for Leukaemia Research. And he was the first of the banana team to cross the finishing line.

The 32-year-old, from Framwellgate Moor, Durham City, completed the half marathon in one hour, 30 minutes and 50 seconds.

He said: "It is amazing how fast you can move when you're dressed as a giant banana.

"My training went really well and the support on the day was just superb."