Big Ben London Marathon costume 'disappears' from outside Westminster pub

Rebecca Speare-Cole30 April 2019

The Big Ben Marathon-runner who went viral after struggling to cross the finishing line in his costume lost the outfit at the pub after the race finished.

Lukas Bates, 30, quickly went viral after a video showing him struggling to cross the finishing line whilst dressed as the famous clock tower on Sunday.

The video, seen more than seven million times on Twitter alone, shows the runner colliding with the overhead scoreboard which his towering 10ft costume was unable to fit beneath.

After several failed attempts a race-steward came to help him across the finishing line.

However, the outfit went missing after he left it outside The Old Shapes pub near Trafalgar Square, where he was donating the outfit to the owner.

The pub’s CCTV cameras show a group of runners taking the costume and walking away with it.

Members of the Ashington Hirst Running Club have since admitted to taking the costume for selfies before leaving it at a different bar nearby.

Mr Bates said he does not resent the runners who took the costume but would like it back so he can auction if off for charity.

He has already raised more than £6,000 - 656% of his fundraising target - for the Dementia Revolution, in partnership with Alzheimer’s Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society.

He told ITV London: “I looked through a list of potential record attempts and Big Ben seemed like a good idea.

Lukas Bates, with his Elizabeth Tower costume, attempted to break a world record running in the costume on Sunday
PA

“I was thinking there’s going to be no problems at all – I’ve done the hard bit.

“When it happened I realised what had happened but I couldn’t really see particularly well because my costume was pointed down at this point.

“There’s obviously confusing fanfare of sounds around me with everyone finishing and it was all very confusing.”

The experienced runner was aiming to break the world record for a marathon runner dressed as a landmark building.

However missed out by 20 minutes to Richard Mietz who dressed as Holstentor city gate in Lubeck at the Belin Marathon last September.

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