Look! Full-scale London Marathon returns to city streets after two-year hiatus caused by COVID-19

Runners and spectators on their way to the start of the London marathon which returned today to the city's streets for the first full-scale staging of the event in more than two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It saw the capital reduced to a standstill - and we don't mean because of the fuel crisis...

Runners on a train as they travel to the start of the London marathon. More than 40,000 runners joined some of the world's best on the usual course that started in Blackheath and finished 26.2 miles later in the shadow of Buckingham Palace on The Mall.

The start of the elite men's race. Last year, the race was shifted from it's usual April date as the coronavirus pandemic forced the suspension of sporting events worldwide.

A general view during the mass start. Last October, a small, elite field competed over 19 laps of a closed course around St James's Park, with the mass element of the event taking place remotely.

Runners during the mass start. London's race director Hugh Brasher said this year's event - 40 years on from the inaugural race in 1981 - "could easily be the most memorable ever".

It has been 30 months since London hosted the fun runners, the teddy bears and the well-meaning celebrities. "It will be a moment of joy, of true emotion. It is more than just a marathon. It is about bringing people together and that is what we have missed so much in the last 18 months," added Brasher.

With over 240,000 positive COVID-19 tests across the UK in the seven days before race week, there are still precautions in place for the race.

Runners run over the iconic Tower Bridge. They were all required to provide a negative lateral flow test before they were allowed to line up for the race in London.

Competitors run over Tower Bridge as a boat goes beneath.

Ethiopia's Sisay Lemma celebrates after winning the elite men's race in a time of 2.04.03. Vincent Kipchuma and Mosinet Geremew came second and third.

Kenya's Joyciline Jepkosgei celebrates winning the elite women's race. The winning time was 2.17.42 making her the seventh fastest woman in history.

Switzerland's Manuela Schar celebrates after winning the women's wheelchair race. The winner of last week’s Berlin Marathon repeated her success, and it’s off to Boston next for her.

Schar celebrates with second placed Merle Menje of Germany's and third placed Tatyana Mcfadden of the US.

Switzerland's Marcel Hug - who won four golds, including the marathon title, at Tokyo 2020 - won the men's wheelchair race. Great Britain's eight-time men's wheelchair winner David Weir - who returned to the stage for the 22nd time - came third.

Charlotte Purdue celebrates being the first British athlete to cross the line.