Thousands pledge to run last 3.7 miles of the London Marathon in memory of Matt Campbell

By Georgia Bronte

- Last updated on GMT

Thousands pledge to run last 3.7 miles of the London Marathon in memory of Matt Campbell
Thousands of people have signed up to finish the London Marathon in honour of the late Matt Campbell, who passed away on Sunday after competing in the annual race.

The 29 year old MasterChef: The Professionals semi-finalist collapsed 3.7 miles short of the finish line.

He was running to raise money for Cumbria-based charity Brathay Trust, and in memory of his late father.

At present, the page the chef set up on charity fundraising website JustGiving has raised £105,648 of a £2,500 target, from 7,465 donors.

A “Finish for Matt” Facebook page​ has been set up in memory of Campbell, with over 3,000 members pledging to run the miles he was unable to.

“We've all given each other support over the last few months, and a small gesture of solidarity would be to 'finish' the run for Matt,” reads the description of the group, written by runner Matt Dorber.

“It may be in London, Somerset, Manchester - where ever you are - but if as many people can do a 3.7m run on Strava on Saturday, and give a £5 'entry fee' to Matt's JustGiving page, I think that'd be a nice gesture from us as a group.”

Campbell reached the semi-finals of the 2017 series of MasterChef: The Professionals, where judge Marcus Wareing described his plate of cod cheeks, spirulina, kale and kombucha as the “best” signature dish he had ever eaten in the show.

Campbell’s family paid tribute to their “inspirational son and brother”, who completed the Manchester Marathon in under three hours earlier this month.

To donate to Campbell's JustGiving page, click here.

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