There was no one more shocked than Ann Singer when she marked her marathon debut with victory in the inaugural Eden Project event.

The mother-of-five from Portishead only hit the front in the closing miles of the event, held on paths, trails and road from the famous site in Cornwall, and surged clear to win in a time of 3hrs 38mins 32secs.

"It was a huge surprise that I won the race especially as I had never run a marathon before," said Singer, who competes for Portishead Running Club of which she was a founding member.

"It was unknown territory for me and over that type of terrain, which also included a few tough climbs, I'm pleased with the time; I'm gob-smacked I did so well."

It is a wonder that Singer can find the time to train, not just because of the demands of looking after five children but also the requirements of studying for a psychology degree at Bristol University.

"The Eden Project race was a good test for a future marathon," added Singer, who will surely beat last weekend's time on a conventional road course.