Paralysed woman completes London Marathon in 16 days with bionic legs

Sydney, May 9 (ANI): A paralysed British woman became the first person to complete a marathon wearing a bionic suit as she crossed the finishing line in London on Tuesday, 16 days since the race began.

Claire Lomas, who was left paralysed from the chest down following a horse-riding accident five years ago, was in tears but said she was "over the moon" as she completed the 42.2 kilometre course in her bionic ReWalk suit.

The suit mimics the response that the wearer's joints would make if they were not paralysed.

The 32-year-old got a guard of honour as hundreds of people lined the streets as she finished the course on The Mall in central London.

"There were times when I questioned whether I would make it when I was training," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Lomas, a former chiropractor, as saying.

"Once I started, I just took each day as it came and every step got me a step closer," she said.

She walked about two miles a day, cheered on by her husband Dan and their 13-month-old daughter Maisie, and her parents.

Lomas will not appear in the official results and did not receive a medal when she finished as competitors have to complete the course on the day of the race to qualify for a medal.

Lomas, who now works as a jewellery designer, raised more than 86,000 pounds for a charity which funds research to develop treatments for paralysis caused by a broken back or neck.

"I have had tremendous support since my accident which I am so grateful for, some don't have that," she said.

"Some people lose the use of their arms as well. A cure needs to be found," she said.

The 43,000-pound ReWalk suit, designed by Israeli entrepreneur Amit Goffer, enables people with lower-limb paralysis to stand, walk and climb stairs through motion sensors and an onboard computer system. (ANI)