I completed the London Marathon dressed as the Blackpool Tower and was treated like a celebrity

‘The only challenge was the wind, which nearly knocked me over a few times’.
By Emma Downey
Published 23rd Apr 2024, 10:38 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

A Lytham man who dressed as Blackpool Tower for the London Marathon said he felt like a celebrity with people stopping to take selfies with him.

Tony Howarth, 65, who is a HR manager for BP and also commutes to London, decided to the wear the distinctive rubber Blackpool Tower outfit during the 26.2-mile race to challenge himself even further - and that he did!

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Tony posing for a selfie with other marathon runners.Tony posing for a selfie with other marathon runners.
Tony posing for a selfie with other marathon runners.

Having completed the London Marathon six times before, he decided to throw a few obstacles in the way this time - with the wind being at the forefront!

He said: “As I ran in my Blackpool Tower costume, I was cheered on by spectators who shouted, sang and chanted my name.

Tony says he was cheered on by spectators who shouted, sang and chanted his name. Tony says he was cheered on by spectators who shouted, sang and chanted his name.
Tony says he was cheered on by spectators who shouted, sang and chanted his name.

“Some mistook me for other landmarks, such as a lighthouse, Rapunzel's tower, Tower Bridge, the Eiffel Tower and Big Ben, but most recognized the distinctive Blackpool Tower and cheered me on with calls of 'up the pool.'

“Running in the costume was easier than I anticipated, as it was lightweight and well-fitted.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The only challenge was the wind, which nearly knocked me over a few times.”

“The only challenge was the wind, which nearly knocked me over a few times.”“The only challenge was the wind, which nearly knocked me over a few times.”
“The only challenge was the wind, which nearly knocked me over a few times.”

Join our new WhatsApp Community to get the latest news and top stories from across Lancashire directly to your phone Get the latest headlines, straight to your inbox, with The Gazette’s free emails

READ MORE:

Tony, who has also taken part in many virtual runs during lockdown, donning over 12 different costumes such as a French and a Greek man and even a rhino, added: “Other runners frequently requested videos with me, which meant I had to take my eyes off the road and look into their phones, causing me to occasionally bump into other runners.

“There were other runners in costumes, mostly attempting to break records listed in the Guinness Book of Records, but I stood tall and proud at 9ft in my tower, likely the tallest in the race.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“London, was on Sunday, was probably the happiest city in the world.”

He raised over £1,250 each for both the Blackpool Samaritans and the London Central Office Samaritans.

His work will match both amounts, bringing the total raised to over £5,000.

Related topics:Blackpool TowerLondon MarathonPeopleSpectatorsLythamWork

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.