Plucky Elaine Stone, who teaches at Matlock C of E School, completed last weekend's gruelling half marathon in one hour and 50 minutes less than two years after becoming ill.

And her remarkable efforts have raised money for further research into the condition at the hospital where she was treated.

Sadly brain haemorrhages run in Elaine's family. She lost her dad and grandad to the condition, but when she was struck down it came completely out of the blue.

"I collapsed at home and was rushed to hospital," said Elaine, a Year Four teacher from Brassington.

She found herself in hospital for eight days and when she was discharged was unable to walk and had double vision.

As part of the long road to recovery Elaine (39) needed four months off work and it was a further six months until she could return full-time.

But after fighting her way back to fitness she decided to try and complete her first-ever half marathon to raise money for the neurology department at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham.

"I have always done a bit of running and I wanted to raise money for the hospital where I was treated," said Elaine.

"They were fantastic, everybody was very caring."
Elaine, who is a member of running clubs in both Wirksworth and Ashbourne, applied for a place in the run in January — marking a year since she became ill — and began training in February when she found out she had a place.

She was cheered on during the 13-mile run from Newcastle to South Shields by her family, including husband Darren before returning to the classroom on Monday to a hero's welcome from her pupils.

Elaine hopes to have raised £1,000 for the Queen's Medical Centre.