Online platforms prove to be the best way to raise cash for big events

More than £40m was raised online by London Marathon runners and fundraisers for good causes.

Online giving platforms Virgin Money Giving and JustGiving reported one of their more successful events to date.

Virgin said runners raised £21.8m so far while JustGiving said runners and fundraisers have raised £22.3m in donations and Gift Aid since the event at the weekend.

Virgin said it expected to top £25m in donations with £1.3m raised separately for the Teenage Cancer Trust, the official charity of the 2018 Virgin Money London Marathon.

Jo Barnett, executive director at Virgin Money Giving, said: “Donations continue to pour in and the runners can rest assured that more of their hard won donations will reach their selected good causes”.

A spokesman for JustGiving said it expected this year’s overall figure to be more than last year.

More than 40,000 runners completed the event making the 38th edition of the race the biggest and one of the hottest in its history.