Jamie Gough, 34, has served with at Bicester Fire Station for more than nine years, with three of those years being whole time.

In a time of three hours and 22 minutes, the Bicester born and bred firefighter crossed the line on The Mall, directly in front of Buckingham Palace, amongst almost 60,000 people who took part in the 26.2-mile race.

So far, he has raised more than £3,000 for The Fire Fighters Charity in memory of his fallen colleagues Jennie Logan and Martyn Sadler, who died in the Bicester Motion fire in May 2025.

Jamie Gough, Bicester firefighter, raise more than £3,000 for The Fire Fighters Charity by running the 2026 London Marathon (Image: Sportgraf)

He said: “Near the start it hit me the most, just thinking how I’d got to this point. It made me emotional, but gave me an energy boost and confidence.

“But, at certain points, when I wanted to give up, I had to remind myself that I was doing it for them.

“I knew they would be looking down at me laughing, thinking what an idiot I am doing this – that was just the kind of people they were.”

While wearing his orange, firefighter charity-branded bib, with images of Jennie and Martyn, he was supported by the crowd and other runners who were intrigued to find out more about why he was running.

“The atmosphere was really good,” he said. “The crowds were so fun and supportive, shouting your name and giving you that confidence boost, especially when you’re trying to dig deep to keep going.

“I wanted to stand out a bit and get their images out there and show people why I was doing it – to honour their memory and the legacy they left behind.

“There was a big scream thanking God when I did it because I never thought I would be able to.”

Jamie Gough, Bicester firefighter, raise more than £3,000 for The Fire Fighters Charity by running the 2026 London Marathon (Image: Sportgraf)

Despite it being his first marathon, after usually sticking to half‑marathons, Mr Gough admits he “winged” his training to cater to sleepless nights due to his newborn son in December.

He said: “A lot of people follow a plan but I just went a bit further every time I ran because I had to fit them in where I could.

“I got up to about 20 miles in training and hoped the atmosphere on the day would get me to the finish line, which it did.”

Having ticked off his first marathon, he is already eyeing up another. This time, in sub three hours.

He added: “I want to keep on doing it, maybe running a marathon yearly – I think it would be a good thing to do for them.”

Developed by researchers at the University of Oxford, the new vaccine ChAdOx2 RabG has shown promising results in a clinical trial in Tanzania, offering stronger and longer-lasting protection in both adults and children compared to currently available options.

Rabies causes an estimated 59,000 deaths each year, mainly in Africa and Asia, with children at highest risk.

Most existing vaccines require multiple clinic visits, making them difficult to deliver in low-resource settings.

Professor Sandy Douglas of the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford, who developed the vaccine and is the study’s senior author, said: “Rabies is entirely preventable, yet it still causes tens of thousands of deaths each year, mostly among children.

“Our findings suggest that a single-dose vaccine could offer a practical and affordable way to protect vulnerable populations, particularly in rural and low-resource settings.”

The trial involved 63 adults and 111 children aged two to six, who were given either the new vaccine or a licensed rabies vaccine for comparison.

In adults, the new vaccine generated antibody levels around five times higher than those seen with a single dose of existing vaccines after one year.

In children, it produced levels more than eight times higher.

It also outperformed the World Health Organisation’s recommended two-dose regimen in children.

Nearly all children given the new vaccine maintained protective antibody levels one year post-vaccination.

Dr Adam Ritchie, first author of the study and senior vaccinologist at the Jenner Institute, said: “If these results are confirmed in larger trials, this vaccine could be a game changer for rabies prevention.

“In a world where wealthy travellers can be vaccinated but children living in the same high-risk regions rarely are, it has the potential to simplify vaccination, reduce costs, and ultimately save lives.”

The vaccine also produced rapid immune responses, raising the possibility that it could be used after exposure as part of emergency treatment, though further research is needed.

A follow-up study is planned to start later this year.

Rabies is most commonly spread through dog bites.

Global prevention efforts focus on vaccinating dogs and providing post-exposure treatment to people.

However, the need for multiple vaccine doses makes routine immunisation difficult in areas with limited healthcare infrastructure.

Researchers hope that a single-dose, low-cost option could make preventive vaccination more feasible in high-risk regions.

The trial is ongoing, with participants to be followed for up to 5.5 years to assess the duration of protection.

Larger studies will be required before the vaccine can be approved for wider use.

The full study is published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

The Hawkstone Premium Lager and IPA are both available on draught at the Crazy Bear hotel in Stadhampton.

Launched by Mr Clarkson in 2021, the Cotswolds-based Hawkstone brand is now the fastest growing beer brand in the UK. 

Renato Galpao with Hawkstone beer (Image: Fortitude Communications)

Andy Cross, sales director at Hawkstone, said: “Hawkstone is built on championing the very best of British farming, so it’s great to see the beers being poured at the Crazy Bear.

“It’s a venue that really cares about quality, which makes it a great fit for the brand.”

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Rob Puffett, general manager at the Crazy Bear, said: “We’re pleased to be partnering with Hawkstone and introducing their range to our countryside pub.

“Hawkstone’s focus on British ingredients, craft, quality and a sense of humour makes it a natural fit for the Crazy Bear.”

Hawkstone (Image: Fortitude Communications)

Hawkstone IPA won gold at the 2025 World Beer Awards and was crowned England’s winner.

The IPA uses a combination of the finest hops, mixed with tropical and citrus bursts, plus a richness from the malt.

Hawkstone’s Premium Lager is the brewery’s original lager and according to brewers it has top notes of light citrus, complemented by a malty backbone. It was awarded gold at the World Beer Awards in 2024.

Hawkstone, named after the Neolithic stone near Mr Clarkson’s Diddly Squat farm and inspired by the beauty of the Cotswolds, is stocked at more than 1,000 pubs across the UK.

The Crazy Bear hotel in Stadhampton (Image: Crazy Bear hotel group)

Speaking on the creation of his Hawkstone Brewery, Mr Clarkson said: “They say that God took six days to create the world.

 “The thing is it takes 30 days to create my Hawkstone lager, which means my lager is six times better than the world.”

The Crazy Bear is a luxury hotel and home to a variety of dining options, including its classic English restaurant, the freshly refurbished Hom Thai restaurant, an al fresco terrace and traditional countryside pub.

It has a sister venue in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire.