Great North Run contestant Pippa Bell (left, with daughter Flora) was devastated to learn that four people had died on the Great North Run after completing her first ever half-marathon. 

Pippa ran the 13.1 mile race on Sunday in memory of her daughter’s best friend, who died during a games lesson four years ago. 

Her daughter, Flora, was running alongside Charlotte Turnbull-Adams who was just eight years old when she collapsed during a sports day practice at St Margaret’s Primary School, Neville’s Cross, Durham, in July 2001. 

Charlotte, of York Crescent, Newton Hall, Durham, was apparently healthy when she collapsed but a post-mortem examination revealed that her death had been caused by a blocked artery. 

Pippa, 44, of Old Elvet, Durham, who is also friendly with Charlotte’s mother, Debbie, hopes to raise more than £1,600 for the national charity CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young).

The freelance consultant who also works for the Magic Lantern group which tours primary schools, said: “Charlotte’s last words to Flora before she collapsed were, ‘I won' – as she had beaten all the other pupils in her year in the sprint. 

“It was a very emotional experience, I was running in a T-shirt with Charlotte’s photo on, so I felt that she was with me. 

“But to find out afterwards that four people had died in the race was devastating. 

“It reinforces the message from CRY that mobile screening devices for hidden heart problems are vital.  Healthy and active young people are most at risk.” 

On Sunday a 16-year-old boy collapsed and died from a suspected heart attack while playing football in Manchester, and CRY founder and chief executive Alison Cox said: “At CRY we rely on the tremendous efforts of people like Pippa to raise vital funds so we can increase awareness of sudden death in young people.  Her help is greatly appreciated.” 

Around eight apparently “fit and healthy” young people die every week in the UK from unexpected cardiac death.  CRY provides medical information, bereavement counselling and mobile screening devices. 

It offers support to those who have suffered a loss, promotes hear screening, ECG testing programmes.  It contributes to medical research, donates medical equipment to doctors’ surgeries and hospitals and funds the CRY Centre for Sports Cardiology at the British Olympic Medical Centre.