Monday, May 11, 2009

Injured British soldier completes London Marathon


LONDON -- A British soldier who lost the use of his legs in a rocket attack in Iraq has completed the London Marathon, two weeks after starting the race.

Maj. Phil Packer set off April 26 and walked the 26.2-mile (42.2-kilometer) course on crutches at a rate of two miles (3.2 kilometers) a day.

Packer entered the marathon to support Help for Heroes, a charity for wounded soldiers. He has raised more than 600,000 pounds ($900,000) and hopes to reach 1 million pounds ($1.5 million).

The 36-year-old military policeman has been a paraplegic since he was injured in Basra in February 2008.

Packer crossed the finishing line Saturday and said the feeling was bittersweet, because it followed the deaths of four British soldiers in Afghanistan in the last two days.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS