A BLACKBURN firefighter dressed in full gear amazed his friends by completing the Great North Run in one hour and 46 minutes.

Naveed Sharif, of Queen's Road, Blackburn, was running in memory of his sister and was determined to finish despite getting cramp in both of his legs.

Ths half-marathon effort was say thanks to the charity which helped his sister Sameena.

She died of a brain tumour last August, aged 18, after battling the condition for three years.

Naveeda, a Lancashire Fire and Rescue community outreach development officer, is hoping to have exceeded his £1,000 target for Cancer Research UK.

He said: "The race was fantastic and the crowd was great.

"It wasn't so much the length of the run that was the problem but the heat in the suit. It was like a sauna.

"I know my sister was with me all the way and I could hear her saying keep going."

Naveed is now planning to take part in the London Marathon next year and is again hoping to complete it in his firefighting uniform.