Insurance specialist Ray Johnson put a premium on fitness by completing his 10th London Marathon in a row yesterday, boosting the total sum he has raised for charity to well over £36,000.

Mr Johnson, the owner of Independent Insurance Services, Folkestone, joined 37,000 runners in the Virgin London Marathon.

He completed the run in four hours, six minutes and 15 seconds. He admits it was not easy. "It was particularly hard going from mile 22 onwards this time around, but unlike previous years thankfully I did not hit the wall or suffer any stiff legs! I was rather disappointed however that a Lucozade bottle overtook me!"

Mr Johnson's previous best was in 2002 when he clocked three hours 23 minutes. Mr Johnson raised money for the Kent Association for The Blind and the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust and Hythe Imperial. So far, he has raised £2,700 for this year's effort. Donations are welcome at www.justgiving.com/rayjohnson.

Meanwhile, a Medway firm was given a prominent spot in the London Marathon.

Spectrum Signs and Display, based in Chatham Historic Dockyard, spent the last three weeks designing and manufacturing some 68 panels that covered the gantry at the finish in The Mall.

The gantry also supported the countdown clocks that every competitor looked at when they crossed the finishing line in the 26 mile 385 yard race.

Director Rod Watson said design, manufacture and final preparations took three weeks to complete. "Much time is spent behind the scenes ensuring that everything falls into place on the day. It's a fantastic feeling to see our work televised all over the world."