A lecturer from York St John's University who has participated in the Great North Run for children’s charity Action Medical Research for over 15 years has become a member of the Queen’s bodyguard of the Yeoman of the Guard.

Mark Sullivan, 54, first ran the Great North Run for the charity in 1996 and has since, on many occasions, run as Paddington Bear – Action Medical Research’s mascot.

A qualified coach, he also helps out with training the members of the charity’s York committee, in his free time.

He is now also a member of the Yeoman of the Guard, who today have a purely ceremonial role to accompany the sovereign at events including Buckingham Palace garden parties and the annual Royal Maundy Service.

Anyone interested in joining Mark at the Great North Run for Action Medical Research on September 16 can find out more at action.org.uk/bupa_great_north_run