Soap's Jeff cries at finish line

Emmerdale star Jeff Hordley has confessed he broke down in tears as he crossed the finishing line at the London Marathon 2012.

The 42-year-old actor - who has played bad boy Cain Dingle for 12 years - ran the 26.2 miles through the capital on Sunday with other Emmerdale actors to help raise money for leukaemia and lymphoma research, and was delighted to finish in three hours and 31 minutes.

Jeff said: "It's a personal best 3.31 so I'm very pleased. I got very emotional, crying over the line, which is not like me. But it's all for leukaemia and lymphoma research, that's why we do it."

He added: "There's a lot of runners at Emmerdale and they recommended it many, many moons ago.

"But I have a very personal connection with leukaemia as well, my friend's child last year, seven years old, contracted the disease, but he fortunately got through it, but it was through the money that was raised that he got through it."

He said of his run: "It was amazing. The weather was fantastic, the conditions were perfect, the crowds here were just incredible - seeing people carrying their loved ones on their back it was emotional. It is special - it's the Olympics - it's a great year."

This was the soap star's fifth London Marathon. He joked: "Maybe I'll try and get up to 10."

Coronation Street's Paula Lane also ran the marathon in four hours 42 minutes after preparing with a breakfast of porridge. She was joined by former Corrie stars Nikki Sanderson, Bruno Langley and Conor Ryan.

Hollyoaks stars James Atherton and Tom Scurr ran in aid of homeless charity Centrepoint, both crossing the line at exactly four hours eight minutes and 36 seconds.

Tom tweeted: "Bang on. We started together and finished together. Like a bl***y fairytale."