A playlist featuring her autistic nephew’s favourite songs encouraged a woman across the London Marathon finish line.

Ruth Treharne, of Sleaford, was one of a world record-breaking 56,640 London Marathon finishers completing Sunday’s 26.mile route.

She raised a fantastic £2,221 for the national Support Dogs charity and got round in four hours 38 minutes despite sweltering 22C temperatures in the capital.

Support Dogs trains and provides specialist assistance dogs to help people with a range of debilitating conditions to live safer, more independent lives.

Ruth was inspired to run for Support Dogs as trainee autism assistance dog Albert, provided by the charity, has helped bring around a huge transformation in her six-year-old nephew, Sebastian Dean in less than six months.

Ruth, who had suffered a knee injury prior to the marathon, described her run as “painful”.

The 43-year-old administrator for Sleaford-based Pumping & Drainage Systems and former RAF senior aircraftwoman, added: “I was a little disappointed with my finish time, but with the temperature and the fact I went into it with an injury, now I’ve had time to about it, I think ‘that was really good’. With the conditions of the day, a lot of people were at least half an hour slower than they expected.”

It was Ruth’s first London Marathon, which she described as “absolutely outstanding – the atmosphere, the crowds, the people on the course, the organisation. It was the absolute best day and very emotional.

“I had my playlist, with songs from all the family, including some of Sebby’s favourites, including Omen by Prodigy and from The Greatest Showman.”

Both of Ruth’s brothers, Simon Dean and Tom Dean, dad of Sebastian, and Sebastian’s nine-year-old sister, Francesca, along with Ruth’s husband, Mike, youngest son Owen, 12, sister Emma Woods and niece Eloise Dean, were there to meet her at the finish line.

Ruth, who is also mum to 15-year-old Rhys and has also previously completed the York and Manchester Marathons, said she has already entered the ballot for next year’s event.

She added: “This year’s was a world record with the biggest number of finishers, it was its 45^th year and it started in the year I was born, so it felt pretty special.”

Sebastian’s mum, Rachel Dean, said: “Obviously it was a hot day on Sunday, so it wasn’t the easiest run. We are so proud of Ruth for running through the pain and raising so much money – it’s fantastic.”

To find out more about the incredible work of Support Dogs, please visit www.supportdogs.org.uk or call 0114 2617800.